Pakistani leaders attend crucial Makkah Joint Defense Agreement meeting in Riyadh

The Foreign Office confirmed on Monday that a meeting of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to focus on regional developments and ongoing cooperation among member states.

In a statement on social media platform X, the FO announced that Pakistan’s delegation to the Strategic Political and Defence Committee (SPDC) includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

The FO added that the respective Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Ministers of Defence, and Chiefs of General Staff of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Türkiye will also attend the high-level session.

What is the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement?

The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement is a trilateral mutual defense pact signed on August 7, 2026, by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye. The landmark security treaty establishes a collective deterrence framework, stipulating that an armed attack against any single member state will be treated as an attack against all three nations.

The member states will discuss the latest developments in the region and review ongoing cooperation under the framework of the Makkah Agreement. The high-profile Pakistani officials joined their Saudi and Turkish counterparts to review defense institutionalization efforts. The alliance recently established its permanent general secretariat in Riyadh and appointed a Pakistani military official as its inaugural secretary general.

Why did the Makkah Defence Alliance meet in Riyadh?

The trilateral committee organized the strategic session in Riyadh to review rapid geopolitical shifts and manage growing stability concerns across the Middle East. Recent military escalations involving Houthi rebel forces in Yemen have added immense urgency to the regional security talks. The participants are reviewing ongoing cooperation under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement to strengthen collective deterrence.

Before arriving at the diplomatic venue in Riyadh, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar made a spiritual stopover in the holy city of Madinah on Sunday. Official representatives from the Saudi Royal Protocol and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the foreign minister upon his arrival. Dar paid respects at Roza-e-Rasool (PBUH) and visited the historic site of Jabal Uhud to pray for national prosperity and regional peace.

Pakistan's high-profile participation in the committee session demonstrates its firm resolve to continue contributing to international stability. The three powerful Muslim nations remain focused on operationalizing their defense mechanisms to secure critical infrastructure and protect mutual interests.