Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on Friday signed the “Makkah Joint Defence Agreement” aimed at strengthening collective deterrence against any act of aggression, the Foreign Office (FO) said.
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, in pursuit of a secure and prosperous future”, the FO said.
“The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all,” it noted.
The pact also “provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defence cooperation” among the three countries, the FO statement added.
Earlier in the day, PM Shehbaz, accompanied by Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, met with the Saudi crown prince in Makkah on Friday.
PM Shehbaz arrived in Saudi Arabia on a three-day official visit on Thursday.
The Foreign Office (FO) has noted that although the visit was taking place amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, it carries “significance beyond the immediate crises and short-term considerations”.
In a statement on Friday afternoon, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said a bilateral meeting between PM Shehbaz and the Saudi crown prince was underway.
It added that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, CDF Munir, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif were also present on the occasion.
The PM was welcomed by Crown Prince Salman upon his arrival at the Al-Safa Palace in Makkah.
According to an earlier statement by the FO, discussions between the two leaders would “focus on consolidating the Pakistan-Saudi bilateral relations as well as exchange of views on regional and international developments of mutual interests”. The FO noted that the visit will “further strengthen bilateral relations, deepen strategic cooperation, enhance coordination on regional and international issues of mutual interest, and reinforce multilateral cooperation”.
“The visit marks Pakistan’s long-standing partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia anchored in decades of mutual trust, cooperation and brotherhood,” it emphasised.
PM Shehbaz holds talks with Saudi Crown Prince
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday held talks with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman in Mecca during an official visit that Pakistan says is aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing coordination on regional issues amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Saudi crown prince received Shehbaz at Al-Safa Palace (Qasr Al-Safa), where the two leaders began a bilateral meeting.
The Pakistani delegation included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of escalating security concerns in the Gulf and growing diplomatic efforts among regional powers to bolster defence and strategic cooperation.
Earlier, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi described the visit as “another milestone” in the longstanding Pakistan-Saudi relationship founded on mutual trust, cooperation and brotherhood.
He said the visit had assumed added significance in view of heightened tensions in the Gulf and would further reinforce bilateral cooperation, regional coordination and collaboration in multilateral forums.
The high-level engagement also precedes the expected signing of a trilateral defence agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
"The political symbolism of the summit is significant. Three of the Muslim world's most influential states are convening at a moment of heightened uncertainty, demonstrating a growing willingness among regional and middle powers to coordinate more closely on security matters," said Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Gulf Research Center, a Saudi-based think tank.
"If institutionalised and translated into concrete cooperation, the trilateral framework could strengthen the three countries' collective diplomatic and defense weight while contributing to the emergence of a more regionally driven security architecture," Sager added.
'We started hearing some noise in Building 5 and we had no idea what happened after that. Turkey has NATO's second-largest military. Saudi Arabia, the strongest Gulf state, is home to Islam's holiest sites and one of the world's top oil exporters, while Pakistan is the only nuclear-armed Muslim country.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by powerful army chief Asim Munir, performed the Umrah pilgrimage in Mecca before Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's arrival.
They met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose country has been repeatedly struck by Iran, as well as by Tehran's Houthi allies in Yemen and Shi'ite militia in Iraq, since the war began on February 28.
The conflict has also upended the security of Riyadh's Gulf allies and shut down most shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the route for about a fifth of global energy supplies before the war.
Their pact follows nearly a year of negotiations, when Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Ankara favoured a broader regional security platform to promote cooperation and stability.
PM performs Umrah along with delegation
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif performed Umrah along with his delegation in the holy city of Makkah Mukarramah.Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Federal Ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi also performed Umrah.
The delegation prayed for the development and properity of the country, Muslim Ummah and peace and stability in the world and the region. Before performing Umrah, the delegation was blessed with the opportunity to visit the Holy Kaaba.
The Prime Minister is on a three-day official visit of Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. During the visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will meet Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
The two leaders will discuss further strengthening the long-standing brotherly relations and partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, as well as exchanging views on the regional situation.