Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye stress defence pact is purely deterrent
Pakistan’s ISPR chief said the Makkah Defence Alliance with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye is a defensive, non-aggressive arrangement aimed at collective deterrence.
In an interview, ISPR Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry described the Makkah Defence Alliance as a defensive, collective-deterrence pact linking Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, without any broader regional agenda. He said the agreement codifies decades-old relationships and complements, rather than competes with, each nation’s existing partnerships, including Pakistan’s ties with China. The pact, signed on Aug 7, stipulates that an assault on any member triggers a joint response, though the specifics of how this would be executed are not public.
Chaudhry noted that the alliance could welcome new partners that share its non-aggression and stability goals, but any enlargement would be decided by the three leaders. Earlier statements by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar underscored the defensive nature of the deal, while Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjah Haider Khan said expansion is not currently under consideration.
Why it matters
The pact signals a new defensive bloc in a volatile region, affecting security calculations for neighboring states.
How this story developed
- Aug 28 Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey launch Mecca Defence Alliance, secretariat set in Riyadh
- Sep 3 Greece delivered a diplomatic note to Turkey’s Foreign Ministry, instructed by Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, contesting Turkish objections to Greek spatial planning frameworks and the creation of two national maritime parks. Athens maintains that international treaties define Aegean sovereignty and that Turkey’s own maritime park declarations overstep its jurisdiction. Both sides exchanged notes reiterating their positions, while Greece pledged to raise any unilateral Turkish actions with European partners. Despite tensions, intelligence chiefs met to keep security cooperation alive, and leaders plan to attend the UN General Assembly.
- Sep 6 Turkey reiterated its long‑standing claims over continental shelves.
- Sep 13 Pakistan reiterated that no immediate military response under the Makkah pact is being discussed.
- Sep 13 The Greek prime minister publicly called for dialogue with Turkey while maintaining a formal protest over Turkey’s maritime park claims.
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