Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye signed the landmark “Makkah Joint Defence Agreement” in Makkah on Friday, establishing a collective security framework that stipulates any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the pact, reflecting the three states’ shared commitment to further strengthening their collective security and to promoting peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond.
The agreement is aimed at strengthening collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and also provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defence cooperation among the three countries, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
Earlier in the day, PM Shehbaz, accompanied by Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, met with the Saudi crown prince in Makkah. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif were also present.
PM Shehbaz arrived in Saudi Arabia on a three-day official visit on Thursday, with the Foreign Office noting that although the visit was taking place amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, it carries significance beyond the immediate crises and short-term considerations.
Erdogan landed at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and departed for Makkah by road for a one-day visit to the kingdom. On Friday morning, the Pakistani delegation visited the Holy Kaaba and performed Umrah before the signing ceremony.
The pact represents a significant milestone in the deepening strategic partnership among three of the Muslim world’s most consequential states, forged at a moment of acute regional instability driven by the ongoing US-Iran conflict and its ripple effects across the Gulf.
