ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Defence Production Raza Hayat Harraj has said that if a trilateral defense cooperation agreement among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye is proposed in the future, Pakistan would welcome it.
Talking exclusively in Pakistan TV’s programme The Newsroom, the minister said Pakistan enjoys very strong diplomatic and defense relations with both Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, describing them as close allies and reliable friends of the country.
“An agreement has already been concluded between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. It is a bilateral agreement. If tomorrow, Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia come up with a proposal, it will be a very welcoming statement as far as Pakistan is concerned,” the minister said, adding that at present there is no trilateral agreement involving the three countries.
The Saudi-Pakistan defense agreement was signed between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in Riyadh in September last year, which was described as a “strategic mutual defense agreement.”
The agreement aims to development aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression.
Harraj said Pakistan maintains close defence cooperation with Turkiye, particularly in defence industrial development, and has a similar association with Saudi Arabia. Azerbaijan is also a close partner of Pakistan in terms of defense cooperation, he added.
The minister said while a trilateral framework could be a future prospect, any such arrangement would only be considered if and when a formal proposal is presented.
“We would be willing to deliberate once an opportunity arises,” he said, adding that if such an agreement comes forward, it will be left for the relevant stakeholders to scrutinize it.
Harraj emphasised that defense-related agreements are considered trade secrets and often involve classified information that cannot be disclosed publicly.
Explaining the nature of defense cooperation, the minister said such collaborations can take various forms, including joint exercises, shared production of defense equipment, or joint manufacturing of components.
He cited the JF-17 fighter jet programme as an example of successful defense collaboration between Pakistan and China.
Reiterating Pakistan’s position, Harraj said bilateral defense agreements with Turkiye and Saudi Arabia are independent of each other.
