ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the recently signed Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye was entirely defensive in nature and was aimed at promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region rather than aggression.
In this regard, the prime minister said the agreement, signed in Makkah on August 7, was designed to strengthen collective deterrence among the three countries while ensuring that it was not directed against any other state.
Prime Minister Shehbaz said he, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had signed the agreement during their meeting in Makkah.
“The purpose of this agreement is to promote peace, progress and prosperity in the region,” the prime minister said, stressing that the pact was “entirely for defensive purposes”.
He said the agreement should be viewed as a source of strength not only for Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye but also for the wider Muslim world.
The prime minister particularly congratulated Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir for their role in the signing of the agreement.
He said efforts to establish a trilateral defence framework had been underway for several years and had finally materialised with the signing of the agreement in Makkah.
Prime Minister Shehbaz noted that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had already entered into a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement in September 2025, while Pakistan and Turkiye had maintained defence and strategic cooperation for decades.
He said the Pakistani nation and its armed forces had the honour of helping defend the holy cities of Makkah and Madina alongside Saudi forces for many years.
He said the previous arrangements had subsequently been given a formal framework, while the latest agreement represented an extension of existing defence cooperation through a trilateral arrangement.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also described the agreement as defensive in nature and clarified that it was not directed against any country.
Dar said the provision under which an attack on one signatory would be considered an attack on all three was consistent with the inherent right of individual and collective self-defence recognised under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
The agreement has also drawn international attention, with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) describing it as an important strategic step.
The Pakistani government has maintained that the trilateral agreement is intended to strengthen collective security, deter aggression and contribute to peace and stability across the region.
