Deputy prime minister says Pakistan is committed to Saudi Arabia’s defence as emergency meeting of trilateral security alliance is planned for next week
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday that more than six countries had expressed interest in joining the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, the security arrangement established by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Dar stressed that the agreement was defensive rather than offensive and was intended to provide a collective framework for responding to external security threats.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7. Under the arrangement, an attack against any one of the three participating states is to be treated as an attack against all three.
Pakistan ‘Bound’ to Defend Saudi Arabia
Dar said Pakistan remained committed to defending Saudi Arabia under the agreement.
“We are bound to defend Saudi Arabia,” he said, adding that provisions of the United Nations Charter permitted countries operating under such collective defence arrangements to take necessary action.
He drew a comparison with NATO’s collective defence framework.
Dar said the alliance held its first meeting on August 31 and that its headquarters would be established in Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan has nominated retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood as the alliance’s first secretary general.
According to Dar, an emergency meeting under the Makkah agreement will be convened next week to assess the latest security situation in Saudi Arabia. He said the kingdom had faced between 17 and 18 attacks.
More Countries Show Interest in Alliance
The foreign minister said more than six countries had shown an interest in becoming part of the defence arrangement, indicating the possibility of the three-member framework expanding in the future.
He did not, however, identify the countries that had expressed interest.
Dar Opposes Charges for Strait of Hormuz Passage
Discussing the Strait of Hormuz, Dar said vessels passing through the strategically important waterway should not be required to pay a fee or service charge.
He also referred to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, saying both wanted the issue surrounding the waterway to be resolved. According to Dar, the different parties involved were seeking to secure their respective interests.
Pakistan Calls for Action Against Militants in Afghanistan
Turning to Afghanistan, Dar said Pakistan wished the country well but expected Afghan authorities to ensure that their territory was not used for attacks against Pakistan.
He said Kabul needed to demonstrate that action had been taken against groups including the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, the Balochistan Liberation Army and what Pakistani authorities refer to as Fitna al-Hindustan.
Dar also said the Pakistan-Afghanistan border had remained closed since October and acknowledged that the closure had resulted in damage to crops.
His remarks came as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye move towards further institutionalising the Makkah Defence Alliance amid heightened regional security concerns.
