Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye sign Makkah joint defence pact amid wider regional diplomacy

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has thanked US President Donald Trump for his supportive remarks on the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in Mecca on August 7, 2026.The agreement introduces a collective defence mechanism under which an armed attack against any one of the three signatories would be treated as an attack against all. The pact seeks to deepen military cooperation and strengthen regional deterrence amid continuing tensions in the Middle East.Shehbaz Sharif Praises Trump’s Role In South AsiaReacting to Trump’s comments, Sharif said Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye would continue to play a “constructive role” in protecting their respective countries as well as promoting security across the region.In a post on X, Sharif expressed his appreciation for Trump’s support for the agreement and described Saudi Arabia and Turkiye as Pakistan’s “brotherly” partners.Deeply appreciate President Donald Trump’s kind words of support on the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.Together with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Turkiye, Pakistan will continue to play a constructive role in ensuring the defence of… pic.twitter.com/qdemVBYkLq— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) August 17, 2026 ‘Trump Helped Avert Nuclear Catastrophe’: Shehbaz SharifSharif also used the occasion to commend Trump for what he described as “courageous and decisive leadership” that helped prevent a nuclear catastrophe in South Asia.The Pakistani prime minister claimed Trump’s intervention helped avert a potentially devastating escalation and “saved millions of lives”. His remarks signal Islamabad’s growing diplomatic outreach towards Washington amid shifting regional security dynamics.Shehbaz Sharif’s Message To Donald Trump‘Durable Peace Is Essential For A Bright Future’Sharif said, “Deeply appreciate President Donald Trump’s kind words of support on the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement. Together with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Turkiye, Pakistan will continue to play a constructive role in ensuring the defence of our own countries as well as the entire region.”He added, “I would also like to once again commend President Trump for his courageous and decisive leadership, which helped avert a nuclear catastrophe in South Asia and saved millions of lives.”Shehbaz Sharif Warns India Over Indus Waters, Says 'Every Single Drop' Is Pakistan's Red Line | VIDEO Sharif concluded by stressing the importance of lasting peace, saying durable peace was the most essential prerequisite for a “bright and prosperous future” for the people of the region.Pact Signals Closer Regional Defence CooperationThe Makkah agreement comes against the backdrop of heightened security concerns across the Middle East. By establishing a collective defence commitment, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye have sought to strengthen coordination and deterrence while expanding their strategic security partnership.Sharif’s praise for Trump also underscores Islamabad’s effort to maintain close engagement with Washington while simultaneously deepening defence ties with Riyadh and Ankara.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad on Friday and briefed him on a recently signed defence pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, according to a statement issued by the Presidency. For his part, President Zardari “expressed his best wishes for the effective implementation of the tripartite agreement with regard to defence cooperation, regional peace and stability and promotion of the security of the Muslim ummah”, the Presidency’s statement on its X account said. He also appreciated PM Shehbaz’s and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir’s efforts for “further strengthening the longstanding fraternal relations between Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan into a robust strategic partnership”, the statement added. The joint defence agreement, signed on August 7 in Makkah, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empowers its signatory states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them. Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia will form political and military mechanisms under the defence pact, Turkiye’s defence ministry said on Thursday, adding the alliance would also deepen defence industry cooperation. Both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Dar have said the pact is defensive in nature, with the latter saying that it is also “open to any country in the region” willing to uphold its fundamental principles. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday said Turkiye expected Egypt to join the pact “in the next stage”, telling the Anadolu state news agency only “a few technical issues” stood in the way. Egypt has not commented on the agreement nor on the remarks by Fidan. Meanwhile, Kuwait, Bahrain and Somalia are among the countries that have welcomed it. Iran’s comments also took a rather positive tone, stressing its stance of pursuing “security mechanisms based on cooperation between regional countries”. Counter-terrorism also discussed Apart from discussions on the Makkah pact, “the professional capabilities of the security forces and law enforcement agencies in operations against Fitna-al-Hindustan and Fitna al-Khawarij were appreciated” during Friday’s meeting, the statement by the Presidency said. The state has designated Balochistan-based terrorist groups as Fitna-al-Hindustan to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan, and Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. The meeting’s participants reiterated the “resolve to eradicate the scourge of terrorism” from the country, the statement said, adding that foreign and interior affairs were also discussed. President Zardari also emphasised “the need for effective measures to provide relief to the people” in light of the current regional situation. He also stressed the need for “uninterrupted supply of essential commodities and their availability at reasonable prices”. He “expressed the hope that Pakistan’s effective diplomatic efforts for the promotion of regional and global peace would further strengthen the country’s international standing, and that its positive impacts would be reflected in the national economy and the lives of the people”, the Presidency’s statement said. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior and Narcotics Control Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan and Senator Sherry Rehman.

The Foreign Office (FO) said on Wednesday that Pakistan, as a signatory to the recently announced multinational maritime defence coalition, would implement its commitments “in full earnest”. The statement comes following the deaths of three Pakistani sailors in Houthi strikes on a Saudi cargo ship on Tuesday. Last month, Riyadh unveiled plans for a multinational maritime defence coalition to protect shipping and energy supply routes in the Red Sea region. Fourteen countries, including Pakistan, Turkiye and Egypt, backed the coalition in a joint statement. Answering questions at a weekly press briefing, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi elaborated that Pakistan was a signatory of the recent joint statement supporting a multinational maritime defence coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, to protect shipping and energy supply routes. “Pakistan is a signatory to this maritime coalition communique and we will implement it with full earnest,” Andrabi said, adding that the country was engaged with the Saudi authorities in this regard. Andrabi further said that on the directions of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Pakistan was ascertaining the details of the agreement. In his opening statement, the FO also said that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s visit to Iran was aimed at discussing bilateral relations, security-related matters and regional developments, particularly peace and stability in the region. He said Naqvi — who arrived in Tehran on Tuesday — was holding meetings with senior Iranian officials. He added that the visit provides the two countries the opportunity to discuss “bilateral relations, security-related matters, and regional development, with a particular focus on efforts to promote peace, stability, and constructive engagement amongst the parties in the region and regional developments”. Naqvi was received in Tehran by his Iranian counterpart, Eskandar Momeni, and later held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iranian media reported. A diplomatic source had told Dawn from Tehran that the principal objective of Naqvi’s visit was to follow up on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and Pakistan’s mediation bet­­w­een Iran and the US. Speaking further on Pakistan’s mediation efforts between the US and Iran, Andrabi reiterated that Pakistan remained engaged alongside “brotherly states” in “sincere efforts” to work towards a resolution to the crisis. “Pakistan is making all-out efforts to bring the two parties to the negotiating table and the Islamabad MoU and pave the way for peace and stability in the region,” he said. He also warned that Pakistan would continue to “offset spoilers using direct and indirect channels” and ensure the continuation of constructive dialogue to resolve outstanding issues. During the Q&A session, responding to a question regarding the status of the Islamabad MoU, the spokesperson said, “Whenever the rationality for dialogue will overcome the logic of escalation, the template for peace is provided in the Islamabad MoU and Pakistan-Qatar joint statement.” The current deadline for the 60-day period for US-Iran negotiations under the Islamabad MoU is Aug 17. Andrabi, however, noted that this deadline “can always be extended” if there is the intention to hold dialogue. “Even then, five days still remain, so we are not closing the chapter,” he added. “But we hope that even if the deadline is not implemented, the extension will take place eventually and the parties will revert to dialogue.” Asked about the basis for Pakistan’s continued optimism amid the US-Iran conflict, the spokesperson said, “As a mediator and facilitator of talks, we remain optimistic that a solution is in sight.” He pointed out that during the conflict, the countries had cycled through periods of heightened escalation followed by relative calm and eventual dialogue. He termed this “the natural progression of any armed conflict of international significance”. “We are not discouraged by escalations, as much as we do not get overly optimistic when there is a period of calm,” he said, while highlighting Pakistan’s sustained engagement with the parties to resolve the conflict. The country would continue its engagement with optimism “that ought to be there in any credible facilitator and mediator”, he added. Makkah pact reflects ‘resolve for sharing burden of regional peace’ The FO spokesperson also spoke of the defence pact signed last week between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, which he said was “highlight of the week”. The joint defence agreement, signed in Makkah on Friday, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empowers its signatory states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them. He said the agreement reflected the three nations’ “commitment to further strengthen their collective security, promoting peace security and promoting peace security and stability in the region and beyond”. He said the agreement reflected the “long-standing brotherly relations” among the three countries and “displays our resolve for sharing the burden of regional peace and security”. “The agreement is purely defensive in nature and allows unified efforts to confront threats and security challenges to the member states,” Andrabi added, recalling Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s statement congratulating the nation on the agreement on August 10, wherein he held the agreement was defensive in nature and not against any country. Responding to a question, he noted that while the agreement was open to other countries, he was not “particularly aware” of which specific countries may join it in the future. He also said that he was not aware of any consultations with the US and China regarding the agreement, calling this “a matter of diplomatic exchange”, but noted that channels of communication with both countries remained open. FO rejects Indian MEA’s ‘baseless’ remarks on AJK When asked about the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ recent remarks regarding alleged human rights abuses in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the FO spokesperson rejected the “baseless” statement. The region has been gripped by unrest since early June as elections are also being held. “India’s professed concerns for human rights in AJK are disingenuous given its own well-documented record for repression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, including excessive use of force, arbitrary detention, suppression of political freedom and sweeping powers under the draconian laws enacted there.” He added that India’s “politicisation” of developments in AJK was “misleading and cannot divert attention from the stark realities in Indian illegally occupied Kashmir”. “Pakistan remains fully committed to the protection of fundamental rights and the democratic freedom of AJK,” he said. He added that rather than making such statements over AJK, India would be “well advised to honour commitments made by its founding fathers and uphold the right of the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir to freely determine their future through a United Nations plebiscite in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions”.

The Foreign Office (FO) said on Wednesday that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s visit to Iran was aimed at discussing bilateral relations, security-related matters and regional developments, particularly peace and stability in the region. Addressing a weekly press briefing, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Naqvi — who arrived in Tehran on Tuesday — was holding meetings with senior Iranian officials. He added that the visit provides the two countries the opportunity to discuss “bilateral relations, security-related matters, and regional development, with a particular focus on efforts to promote peace, stability, and constructive engagement amongst the parties in the region and regional developments”. Naqvi was received in Tehran by his Iranian counterpart, Eskandar Momeni, and later held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iranian media reported. A diplomatic source had told Dawn from Tehran that the principal objective of Naqvi’s visit was to follow up on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and Pakistan’s mediation bet­­w­een Iran and the US. Speaking further on Pakistan’s mediation efforts between the US and Iran, Andrabi reiterated that Pakistan remained engaged alongside “brotherly states” in “sincere efforts” to work towards a resolution to the crisis. “Pakistan is making all-out efforts to bring the two parties to the negotiating table and the Islamabad MoU and pave the way for peace and stability in the region,” he said. He also warned that Pakistan would continue to “offset spoilers using direct and indirect channels” and ensure the continuation of constructive dialogue to resolve outstanding issues. Makkah pact reflects ‘resolve for sharing burden of regional peace’ The FO spokesperson also spoke of the defence pact signed last week between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, which he said was “highlight of the week”. The joint defence agreement, signed in Makkah on Friday, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empowers its signatory states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them. He said the agreement reflected the three nations’ “commitment to further strengthen their collective security, promoting peace security and promoting peace security and stability in the region and beyond”. He said the agreement reflected the “long-standing brotherly relations” among the three countries and “displays our resolve for sharing the burden of regional peace and security”. “The agreement is purely defensive in nature and allows unified efforts to confront threats and security challenges to the member states,” Andrabi added, recalling Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s statement congratulating the nation on the agreement on August 10, wherein he held the agreement was defensive in nature and not against any country.

In a phone call with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani congratulated Pakistan on the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Tuesday. The joint defence agreement, signed on August 7 between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empowers its signatory states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them. In a post on X, FO said that the two leaders spoke last night, during which Dar’s Bahraini counterpart congratulated him on the agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye and also expressed intentions to visit Pakistan in the near future. Dar, for his part, welcomed the Bahraini foreign minister’s desire to visit and expressed appreciation for his comments. FO said that during the call, DPM Dar “reiterated Pakistan’s firm commitment to promoting dialogue and diplomacy to achieve peace and stability in the region and beyond”. Both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Dar have said the pact is defensive in nature, with the latter saying that it is also “open to any country in the region” willing to uphold its fundamental principles. A day earlier, Dar had felicitated the nation on the agreement’s signing. The foreign minister noted that the term of treating an attack on one of them as an attack against all three was “consistent with the inherent right of individual and collective self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter”. The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement has been hailed by the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as an “important strategic step”. Kuwait, Bahrain and Somalia are among the countries that have welcomed it. Iran’s comments also took a rather positive tone, stressing its stance of pursuing “security mechanisms based on cooperation between regional countries”.

Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday that the defence pact signed last week between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye was “a sign of a change in the perception” of regional countries towards the United States. The joint defence agreement, signed in Makkah on Friday, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empowers its signatory states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them. “This development is a sign of a change in the perception of the countries of the region,” ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said while responding to a query during a weekly press briefing on Monday. “Considering the developments of the last two to three years, the countries of the region have realised that security is not a commodity that can be bought from false security brokers,” Iran’s state media quoted him as saying, referring to the United States. Baqaei further said that there was “no reason to worry that this treaty will be against Iran”, highlighting Iran’s deep religious, historical and civilisational ties with Pakistan, Turkiye and even Saudi Arabia. “This development is an important sign that the countries of the region have concluded that they cannot rely on and trust the claim of security provided by the United States and some other actors outside the region, and they are attempting to try another method; by relying on their own capabilities and perspectives,” IRNA quoted Baqaei as saying. “Any plan that is based on the geopolitical and historical realities of the region, is comprehensive and inclusive, and correctly identifies the enemy and the threat, has a chance of helping to strengthen security and prevent instability and abuses by the Zionist enemy and its allies,” he added, referring to Israel. In response to a question about Iran’s willingness to possibly join the joint pact, Baqaei said Iran has always “emphasised pursuing security mechanisms based on cooperation between regional countries” and “free from the influence and destructive intervention” of foreign actors. “Those plans still exist and can certainly be updated in light of developments,” the spokesperson added. “We are in close contact with neighbouring countries and regional countries, and we hope that all countries will learn from the developments of the last two or three years and adopt the best path to strengthen the region’s collective security,” he said, according to IRNA. Dar speaks with Kuwait FM, others on pact Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar received a phone call from Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, wherein the latter felicitated the former on the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday. According to the FO, the two dignitaries spoke late on Sunday and also “exchanged views on the regional situation, including occupied East Jerusalem”. They also discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and “matters of mutual interest, including the follow-up to FM Jarrah’s recent visit to Pakistan and further enhancing cooperation and investment in key sectors”. “The two sides agreed to remain closely engaged,” the FO added. The deputy premier also shared the contours of the pact with Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi and former Guinea-Bissau president General Umaro Sissoco Embaló. In a joint call with them late last night, Dar shared the agreement’s “significance for strengthening strategic cooperation and contributing to regional peace, stability and security”, FO said. Dar and Tshisekedi also exchanged views on Pakistan-DRC relations and agreed on the importance of further strengthening bilateral cooperation, including through high-level exchanges. DPM Dar had also spoken to Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand earlier. “The two exchanged views on the regional situation, including the recently signed Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye,” the FO said. It added that Dar shared the “essence of the agreement” and the “joint resolve of the three countries to contribute to regional peace, stability and security”. On Sunday, Dar said that the agreement remained “open to any country in the region” willing to uphold its fundamental principles after the Turkish foreign minister said Egypt could be joining the pact. “The Makkah accord is the culmination of years of discussions and coordination, with a common desire to strengthen strategic cooperation in addressing multifarious peace and security challenges and advancing regional peace, stability and prosperity,” Dar said. He clarified that the pact did not abrogate or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between the signatory countries, or with other countries or organisations. Reiterating that any external armed attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all under the pact, he said it was consistent with the inherent right of individual and collective self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. Moreover, he said, the accord was “purely defensive” in nature. “It is not targeted against any country and its sole purpose is to further strengthen our ongoing efforts towards peace, stability and prosperity in the wider region.” “The Makkah Accord remains open to any country in the region willing to uphold its fundamental principles and resolve differences through mutual respect, cooperation and peaceful means,” he said, adding that the pact was consistent with the fundamental pillars of Islamabad’s foreign policy. “Pakistan looks forward to continuing to work closely with all brotherly countries in the region towards lasting peace and stability. We remain committed to advancing the cause of peaceful resolution of all conflicts and building a more secure, stable and prosperous future for our peoples,” he concluded.