Pakistan, Saudi, Turkiye sign defense pact, say attack on one is attack on all

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkiye on Friday signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, agreeing that an attack on any one of the three nations will be treated as an attack on all, according to a statement issued by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The agreement was signed during the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defense, hosted by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah. 

According to the statement, the three leaders reviewed bilateral and trilateral relations as well as "a number of issues of mutual interest" before signing the agreement.

The pact is guided by the "longstanding historical ties" among the three countries, their "enduring bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity," and their shared strategic interests and defense cooperation, the ministry said.

The agreement "reflects 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 statement added.

Under the agreement, the three countries committed to strengthening collective deterrence against external aggression.

"The agreement stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all," the statement said, while also providing for expanded defense cooperation across all sectors.

PM Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the summit at the invitation of Saudi Arabia's Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Separately, Turkey insisted that its joint defense pact signed with the two countries amid the US-Iran war was "not aimed at any particular country".

"The Makkah Agreement, which is not aimed at any particular country, will strengthen the shared security and collective deterrence of the three nations ... thereby making significant contributions to the preservation of peace and stability in our region," Burhanettin Duran, the Turkish presidency's communications director, posted on X.

Later in a post on X, Prime Minister Sharif said he was honored to sign the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement alongside the Saudi Crown Prince Turkiye President Erdoğan.

“Three brotherly nations, united by faith, friendship and a shared resolve for peace and security,” PM Sharif said, adding that may the historic pact “remain a shield of peace for generations to come and may it bring prosperity for our three brotherly countries as well as for the Ummah.”

“I would especially like to express my deep appreciation for Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir whose untiring efforts and utmost dedication contributed immensely towards this great cause,” he said.

President Asif Ali Zardari also welcomed the signing as an important contribution to “peace, security and stability in the region and beyond.”

“This landmark pact strengthens collective deterrence, deepens defence cooperation and reaffirms the shared commitment of the three brotherly nations to a secure and prosperous future,” he said in a post on X.

He appreciated PM Sharif’s and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir role in advancing the important initiative, which builds on enduring bonds of brotherhood and strategic partnership.

“May Allah Almighty bless this historic agreement and grant lasting peace, security and prosperity to our nations and the Muslim Ummah,” he prayed.

President Erdogan said that the agreement, based on collective deterrence, would contribute to "advancing our security and defense cooperation, developing joint projects in the defense industry, and combating terrorism."

He said that the agreement targeted no country and was open to the participation of all brotherly countries that aim for the peace, prosperity, and stability of our region.

"Türkiye will resolutely continue its principled stance toward resolving conflicts and crises through dialogue and diplomacy on the basis of respect for international law," he said in a post on X.

I pray to my Lord that our visit, our consultations, and the agreement we have signed may bring blessings to our entire region.

Fraternal and strategic relations

In a statement on his X, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud stated that the signing of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement underscores the depth of the fraternal and strategic relations among the three countries. 

He added that it also marks an important milestone in their defense cooperation and reflects their shared commitment to unifying efforts to confront the challenges and threats affecting the security and stability of the region.

“The agreement embodies the three countries' common political will to safeguard security and stability and to support a more secure regional environment that serves their nations and peoples. It is expected to have a positive impact on the region as a whole while paving the way for a safer future with greater opportunities for development and prosperity,” the statement said.

Long-standing partnership

PM Sharif arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday on a three-day official visit.

The visit comes as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia continue to broaden a strategic partnership that has expanded beyond traditional political and defense cooperation to include investment, economic collaboration, internal security, sports and institutional engagement. 

Pakistan's FO said the visit reflects the "longstanding partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia anchored in decades of mutual trust, cooperation and brotherhood," adding that although the visit is taking place "against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Gulf," it "carries significance beyond the immediate crises and short-term considerations."

PM Sharif is leading a high-level delegation that includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi.