Islamabad, September 16, 2026: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye is defensive in nature and has no regional aspirations.
Speaking to Al Arabiya English, the DG ISPR said the agreement formalizes the three countries’ longstanding strategic relationships in the areas of collective deterrence and defence. He emphasized that the pact contains no offensive or aggressive element and is intended to contribute to regional peace and stability.
Pact Complementary To Existing Relationships
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the agreement is complementary rather than competitive with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye’s existing relationships with other countries, blocs and alliances.
Regarding Pakistan’s relationship with China, he said the Makkah pact does not conflict with Islamabad’s ties with Beijing, noting that all three countries maintain their own relationships with China.
Collective Defence Commitments
Asked how the three countries would respond if one member came under attack, the DG ISPR said the publicly released text of the agreement clearly sets out the mutual defence commitment. However, he explained that the specific operational mechanisms for implementing such commitments are not publicly disclosed and would be determined by the leadership of the three countries.
Not Limited To Muslim Countries
The military spokesperson also clarified that the agreement is not defined as an exclusively Muslim alliance. He said the framework could potentially include other willing partners that share commitments to regional peace, stability, non-aggression, non-interference and collective deterrence.
Any decision regarding the expansion of the arrangement, he said, would rest with the leadership of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye on August 7, 2026, establishing a framework for collective defence and deterrence among the three countries.
