Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday that the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye was an extension of the bilateral defence pact signed by Islamabad and Riyadh last year and was intended solely for defensive purposes.
Addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet, Shehbaz said the trilateral agreement was designed to promote regional stability, peace and prosperity rather than aggression.
He described the agreement as a source of “pride and strength” for the Muslim world, stressing that its objectives were collective security and regional tranquillity.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement last year, establishing that an act of aggression against either country would be regarded as an attack on both.
That framework was expanded on Friday when Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, creating a trilateral security arrangement aimed at strengthening collective deterrence, military cooperation and regional stability.
The prime minister also congratulated Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, praising his efforts over several years towards securing the agreement.
Shehbaz said it was a significant honour for Pakistan’s armed forces and its people to stand alongside Saudi forces in protecting the holy sites of Makkah and Madinah.