LAHORE: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan have described the Makkah Pact as an important strategic development, highlighting its potential implications for Pakistan’s defence, diplomacy and regional security.
The statements were made at a seminar titled “Makkah Pact and New Geometry of Power”, organised by the University of Lahore, where political figures, diplomats and security experts discussed the changing regional and global strategic environment.
Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan had achieved significant progress on both the defence and diplomatic fronts but warned that these gains could not be sustained without economic stability and stronger domestic governance.
He stressed that economic strength was essential to maintaining the effectiveness of Pakistan’s defence and diplomatic achievements.
The minister called for an “economic reset”, saying Pakistan needed to adapt to rapidly changing global realities. He noted that countries and organisations that failed to adjust to changing circumstances could eventually lose their influence and competitiveness.
In this regard, Pakistan should now focus its efforts on strengthening the economy and putting its internal affairs in order.
Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan said the agreement could contribute to regional peace through deterrence. He described the pact as conveying a message of strength and unity among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.
In this sense, the former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri said the agreement reflected sentiments across the wider Muslim world.
He described it as a deterrence arrangement intended to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the three countries.
He called for increased regional cooperation and unity to promote stability amid the changing international order.
Former foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani said the Makkah Pact should be viewed against the backdrop of an evolving strategic environment, particularly in the Middle East.
University Calls for Greater Strategic Debate
University of Lahore Chairman Awais Raoof welcomed the emergence of the Makkah Pact, describing it as defensive in nature but potentially the beginning of a broader regional security structure.
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He said universities had an important responsibility to provide platforms for informed discussion on major national, regional and international developments.
