Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on Friday signed a joint defence pact in Makkah that empowers member states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all three.
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, aimed at strengthening the collective security of the three states, was signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman, and Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence, held at Al-Safa Palace.
In a joint statement published by the Foreign Office and Saudi Arabia’s official SPA press agency, the three countries said the pact reflected their shared commitment to strengthening collective security and promoting peace, stability, and security in the region and beyond. The agreement is intended to bolster collective deterrence against aggression, stipulating that any armed attack against one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all, while also providing for enhanced defence cooperation across the board. The statement described the pact as guided by the three countries’ longstanding historical ties, rooted in brotherhood and Islamic solidarity, and built on shared strategic interests and existing defence cooperation.
During the summit, the three sides reviewed their broader bilateral relations along with other issues of mutual interest. Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif attended the signing ceremony from the Pakistani side, alongside Saudi Arabia and Turkiye’s respective defence and foreign ministers.
Signing the pact in Makkah, Islam’s holiest site, lends symbolic weight to an agreement that builds on long-established bilateral military ties among the three nations, linking Pakistan, the only nuclear-armed Muslim-majority country, Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest sites and a leading global oil exporter, and Turkiye, NATO’s second-largest military.
‘Shield of Peace’
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the agreement a “historic pact,” saying the three nations are united by faith, friendship, and a shared commitment to peace and security. Writing on X, he said he was honoured to sign alongside the Saudi crown prince and Turkish president, describing the pact as a “shield of peace” for future generations and expressing hope it would bring prosperity to the three countries and the wider Muslim world. He also credited Field Marshal Asim Munir’s efforts and dedication in bringing the agreement together.
‘Historic Day for Pakistan’
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar called the signing a “historic day” for Pakistan, saying it reflected growing recognition of the country’s defence capabilities and strengthened ties among the three nations. He said the framework would elevate relations between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye to a new level, crediting Sharif and Munir’s close working relationship for the outcome. Tarar described the pact as a tool of deterrence rather than aggression, and pointed to Pakistan’s demonstrated capabilities during last year’s conflict with India as evidence of the country’s growing role in promoting regional peace.
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said the signing by the crown prince, the Turkish president, and the Pakistani prime minister underscored the depth of the fraternal and strategic relations among the three countries, calling it an important milestone in their defence cooperation. He said the pact reflected a shared political will to coordinate on regional security challenges and pave the way for greater stability, development, and prosperity.
