Turkish parliament adopts first article of Makkah defence pact bill

Turkish lawmakers debate individual articles of the bill after completing discussions on it as a whole

The Turkish parliament adopted the first article of a bill approving the Makkah defence pact among Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

The three countries signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in August, under which an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all.

The ​agreement's first article says the parties shall use "all necessary means" to eliminate threats to one another's territorial integrity, sovereignty or internationally recognised ​borders.

Turkish Parliament approves key first step in agreement for Mecca defense alliance, progressing one article at a timehttps://t.co/C7RK4g5mxx

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Following the completion of discussions on the bill as a whole at the General Assembly, lawmakers proceeded to debate its individual articles on Wednesday.

Read: Turkiye submits Makkah defence pact to parliament for ratification, sources say

Following the adoption of the bill’s first article, Turkiye Deputy Parliament Speaker Celal Adan suspended the session. After the recess, Adan adjourned the session until Thursday afternoon.

🔴Türkiye, Pakistan ve Suudi Arabistan arasındaki Mekke Anlaşması TBMM gündeminde!

Üç ülkeden birine yönelik dış kaynaklı silahlı saldırının diğerlerine de yapılmış sayılmasını öngören anlaşmanın onaylanmasına ilişkin kanun teklifinin ilk maddesi kabul edildi.

AK Parti ve… pic.twitter.com/HX6kt7naRc

— KRT TV (@KRTCANLI) November 5, 2026

On October 20, Turkiye had submitted the pact to its parliament for ratification. Turkiye's constitution requires separate permission from ​parliament to deploy troops abroad regardless of any international agreement.

Significance of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement

Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia signed the defence agreement at a trilateral summit in Makkah on August 7, pledging to strengthen collective security, deepen defence cooperation and promote peace and stability in the region and beyond.

The MJDA was the latest step in longstanding military and strategic cooperation between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. The pact establishes a framework for collective deterrence and stipulates 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.

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

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.

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.