Turkish spy chief discusses Yemen in Islamabad visit

ISLAMABAD:

Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin held talks with Pakistan's top military and intelligence leadership in Islamabad on Thursday amid mounting tensions in the Gulf, including continuing Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and the attempted drone strike targeting the holy city of Makkah.

Kalin, head of Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization (MIT), met Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Inter-Services Intelligence chief Lt Gen Asim Malik, and was also received by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency, which cited Turkish security sources.

There is no official word yet from the Pakistani side.

The talks covered bilateral ties, regional and global developments and, in particular, the security situation that has emerged in the Middle East following the US-Israel war with Iran, according to Anadolu.

The discussions assumed added significance against the backdrop of continuing Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including the attempted drone attack targeting Makkah, as well as strikes on Saudi energy infrastructure.

Anadolu reported that the officials discussed the political, security and economic repercussions of the conflict, the risk of its further expansion and recent developments involving Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

The Turkish side also highlighted the importance of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia as common ground for efforts to restore regional stability, according to the report. The three countries signed the agreement in Makkah on August 7, describing it as a framework for mutual defence and regional security.

But Islamabad on Thursday remained guarded about what the agreement could mean in operational terms as the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia continue.

The latest crisis escalated further after the attempted drone attack targeting Makkah. Pakistan condemned the attack in the strongest terms, while calling for restraint and an end to further escalation.

The Turkish intelligence chief's visit therefore comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the three countries that constitute the Makkah defence framework. According to Anadolu, Türkiye and Pakistan also discussed their respective roles in reducing regional tensions and keeping diplomatic channels open.

Kalin's Islamabad visit also carried a separate but potentially significant Afghan dimension.

The Turkish intelligence chief travelled to Pakistan after visiting Kabul, where he held talks with senior Taliban officials on security, intelligence cooperation and regional developments, according to Anadolu.

His movement between Kabul and Islamabad coincided with renewed efforts by regional powers to address the worsening relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

A senior Qatari security official also travelled to Kabul, with the two countries having previously played mediatory roles between Islamabad and Kabul.