Islamabad, Oct 6: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye have agreed to begin the practical implementation of their trilateral defence agreement and rapidly deploy agreed military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia amid growing regional security threats.
The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee (SPDC) of the Makkah Alliance for Defence held in Riyadh on Monday.
According to a joint statement, the three countries reviewed the latest political and military developments and approved recommendations for strengthening collective defence.
Trilateral defence pact to be implemented
The defence agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in August provides a framework for collective deterrence. Under the pact, an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be considered an attack against all.
The SPDC decided to move immediately towards implementing the collective defence commitments.
The countries agreed to provide the military forces and capabilities identified under the agreement and ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia.
The statement stressed that the security of each country is an integral part of the collective security of all three nations.
However, the three countries did not announce the number of troops involved or provide a specific timeline for their deployment.
Houthi attacks raise security concerns
Although the joint statement did not specifically identify the Houthis as the source of the threat, the decision comes against the backdrop of continuing Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia.
The three countries strongly condemned attempts to target Makkah and Madinah, along with attacks on Saudi cities and civilian and economic infrastructure.
Pakistan and Turkiye also praised the Saudi Armed Forces for their preparedness and efforts to counter security threats facing the Kingdom.
Pakistan and Turkiye to play supportive roles
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Pakistan and Turkiye already had a presence in the theatre, while Saudi forces were handling combat operations.
Speaking to Geo News, Asif said Pakistan and Turkiye were currently providing support to Saudi Arabia.
He said Pakistan was involved in reconnaissance activities, while both countries were assisting Saudi Arabia based on its requirements.
Pakistani leadership attends Riyadh meeting
Pakistan was represented at the emergency SPDC meeting by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir.
The meeting reviewed the outcomes of earlier political and military consultations and discussed measures to strengthen the alliance’s collective defence capabilities.
Pakistan general appointed Makkah Alliance secretary-general
The three countries also agreed to strengthen the institutional structure of the alliance.
The committee appointed General Nauman Mahmood (Retd.) of Pakistan as the first Secretary-General of the Makkah Alliance for a three-year term.
The SPDC is a key body of the Makkah defence pact and includes the foreign ministers, defence ministers and army chiefs of the three member countries.
Regional military tensions continue
The emergency meeting took place as the Saudi-led coalition government in Yemen launched a major military campaign to recapture territory controlled by the Houthis.
The latest developments come after a series of high-level consultations between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.
Last month, the defence chiefs and chiefs of general staff of the three countries met in Riyadh to review regional security developments and threats facing Saudi Arabia.
The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye also met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month to discuss regional security challenges.
The latest decision to activate the trilateral defence agreement signals closer military coordination between the three countries as tensions continue to rise across the Gulf and wider Middle East.
