Pakistan: Makkah Defence Pact With Saudi Arabia, Turkiye 'Purely Defensive', Open to Others
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has described the new defence pact signed with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye as “purely defensive” and open to other countries in the region. His remarks came two days after the three nations signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in the Saudi city on Friday.
The agreement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It aims to strengthen security cooperation among the three countries at a time of heightened regional tensions, including concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
In a post on X, Mr. Dar said the pact is not directed against any country and that other nations could join if they are willing to uphold its principles and resolve differences through peaceful means. He also said the agreement reflects a shared desire to strengthen strategic security cooperation.
The accord includes a collective self-defence clause, stating that an armed attack against any one of the three states would be regarded as an attack against all. Mr. Dar asserted that this provision is consistent with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which recognises the right of individual and collective self-defence.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday that the agreement is not aimed at Iran or any other country. The pact does not abrogate or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements involving the three nations, Mr. Dar added.
Public celebrations followed the signing, with landmarks in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad and several Saudi cities illuminated in the colours of the Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani flags.
The three countries bring distinct capabilities to the arrangement. Pakistan possesses extensive military experience and is the only Muslim-majority country with nuclear weapons. Saudi Arabia contributes substantial economic resources and regional influence, while Turkiye, a NATO member, has a large military and an increasingly sophisticated domestic defence industry.
Security analysts, however, caution against comparing the pact to NATO. Islamabad-based defence analyst Abdullah Khan said that despite the collective-defence provision, the agreement should not be interpreted as being directed against Iran or another state. The pact is seen as a framework for cooperation rather than a formal military alliance.
The agreement builds on already close ties. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a separate mutual-defence agreement in September 2025. Pakistan and Turkiye have also expanded military and defence-industrial cooperation in recent years.
