FM Dar reviews Makkah pact implementation with Saudi, Turkish counterparts

Three foreign ministers also exchange views on regional and international security issues

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday reviewed progress on establishing institutional structures under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA) with his Saudi and Turkish counterparts on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In August, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a landmark "Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement", declaring that "any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both". On August 7, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye formalised their longstanding strategic relationship through the newly signed "Makkah Joint Defence Agreement", a trilateral security framework that its proponents describe as a defensive arrangement aimed at strengthening collective deterrence, enhancing military cooperation and promoting regional stability.

According to a post on X, FM Dar met Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, along with their respective delegations.

Met with my brothers, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud @FaisalbinFarhan and Foreign Minister of Türkiye Hakan Fidan @HakanFidan, along with our respective delegations, on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in… pic.twitter.com/OOwWdMVZtl

— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) September 25, 2026

“Under the framework of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA), we reviewed progress towards establishing the institutional structures under the Agreement,” Dar said.

The three foreign ministers also “exchanged views on regional and international security issues”, the minister added.

On Wednesday, the appointment of Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood marked the first formal step towards operationalising the MJDA, with Pakistan providing the alliance’s inaugural secretary general. The post will head the general secretariat being established in Riyadh and oversee the implementation of the agreement, coordination of joint activities, and expanded defence cooperation among the participating countries.

Urgent meeting of chiefs of staff

An “urgent” meeting of the chiefs of staff of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye was also being arranged to discuss ways of supporting the kingdom under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA), Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

The ministry said the development was discussed during a meeting between Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in New York.

#نيويورك | سمو وزير الخارجية الأمير #فيصل_بن_فرحان @FaisalbinFarhan يعقد اجتماعاً مع معالي نائب رئيس الوزراء وزير خارجية جمهورية باكستان الإسلامية السيد محمد إسحاق دار، ومعالي وزير خارجية الجمهورية التركية السيد هاكان فيدان، وذلك في إطار اتفاقية مكة للدفاع المشترك.… pic.twitter.com/FqSWVfY17z

— وزارة الخارجية 🇸🇦 (@KSAMOFA) September 25, 2026

The ministers also reviewed progress on establishing the secretariat, committees and working groups under the agreement and preparations for them to begin their work.

The meeting came as the ministers “strongly condemned” attacks targeting Makkah and civilian and economic facilities in Saudi Arabia, while affirming the kingdom’s right to take measures it deemed appropriate to defend its security under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

The ministers also discussed the regional situation, stressing the importance of international law, good neighbourliness, mutual respect for states’ sovereignty and non-interference in their internal affairs, as well as the security and freedom of maritime navigation.

They renewed their commitment to working towards “sustainable peace and stability” in the region and supporting efforts to reduce tensions and find peaceful solutions to ongoing crises, the ministry said.

Significance of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement

The MJDA was the latest step in longstanding military and strategic cooperation between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. Signed in Makkah, the pact established a framework for collective deterrence and stipulated that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all three, while providing for wider cooperation across defence.

The agreement followed nearly a year of negotiations and came amid heightened instability across the Middle East. Turkiye and Pakistan had sought closer regional security cooperation, while Saudi Arabia had faced growing security concerns as conflicts spread across the region, threatening its territory, energy infrastructure and ambitious economic development plans.

Read More: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye sign joint defence pact in Makkah

For Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the trilateral pact is built on their Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed in September 2025. That agreement stated that “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both” and committed the two sides to strengthening defence cooperation and joint deterrence.

The three countries already had extensive military links. Pakistan had provided training and technical assistance to Saudi forces for decades, while Islamabad and Ankara had maintained close defence ties through military training, naval cooperation and defence equipment. In 2023, Saudi Arabia agreed to purchase Turkish drones in what Ankara described as its largest defence export contract.

Pakistan had also expanded its military and security cooperation with the kingdom, deploying about 8,000 troops, fighter jets, drones and an air-defence system to Saudi Arabia, according to Reuters. Pakistan deploys troops to Saudi air base under defence pact. Islamabad had also been pursuing wider security and economic ties in the Gulf, including negotiations with Kuwait on an expanded cooperation pact linked to energy and investment. Pakistan-Kuwait agree to boost cooperation across key sectors

The signing in Makkah, Islam’s holiest city, added symbolic weight to an agreement that brought together three countries with significant military and strategic capabilities. It also came as Pakistan sought to avoid becoming directly involved in the Iran conflict, instead pursuing diplomatic efforts to mediate, while strengthening its broader regional security partnerships.