Pakistan Finalizes Mecca Defense Pact
Islamabad and Riyadh have completed ratification for the three-nation alliance, while Turkey continues its domestic review.
By Jason Kovalenko ·
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia completed the ratification of their joint defense agreement with Turkey on Friday. The move places the alliance closer to full operational status, although Ankara has not yet finished its own internal approval process.
Sajjad Haider Khan, a spokesperson for the Pakistani Foreign Office, confirmed that both Islamabad and Riyadh have signed the necessary documents. The three nations originally signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on 7 August. Khan stated that the parties are currently discussing how to make the pact operational.
The agreement was signed in Mecca by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It requires the three countries to defend one another if they face an external armed attack. The level of support will depend on the specific circumstances of any conflict. Islamabad characterized the pact as defensive and consistent with the United Nations Charter.
The Strategic Political and Defence Committee of the three nations met on 5 October to move the deal forward. They agreed that military forces should be ready to deploy quickly to Saudi Arabia if needed. This deployment must still follow each country's domestic laws.
The ratification comes as Saudi Arabia faces security concerns from Yemen's Houthis. Civil Defence authorities issued warnings this week about potential dangers in Abha and Khamis Mushait. Officials later said the threat had passed but urged residents to avoid gathering or filming in those areas.
These alerts coincided with Houthi missile and drone strikes on the kingdom. Reuters reported on 21 October that Riyadh's allies were providing defensive support to protect Saudi infrastructure.
Regional tensions remain high. Israel announced large-scale military exercises for Sunday and Monday in its north and center. The drills will involve air force units and will test readiness against surprise attacks from multiple fronts. Meanwhile, President Trump said the United States might launch another operation against Iran as the conflict nears its eighth month.
