ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye are moving towards the practical implementation of their collective defence commitments under the Makkah Joint Defence Alliance (MJDA), following recent attacks on the Kingdom, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said.
In an interview with Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, the military spokesperson said Pakistan’s commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity was “absolute and non-negotiable”.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the trilateral agreement on August 7, stipulating that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack against all. The pact aims to strengthen collective deterrence and security cooperation.
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif said operationalising the agreement involved arrangements for the rapid deployment of agreed forces and capabilities inside Saudi Arabia. These included enhanced readiness, closer military integration, intelligence sharing and coordinated defensive operations.
He said Pakistan was prepared to take all necessary defensive measures to protect the Kingdom under both the bilateral Joint Strategic Defence Agreement and the trilateral alliance.
Regarding Pakistan’s military presence in Saudi Arabia, the DG ISPR confirmed that Pakistani troops were already deployed there to provide defensive support, training and participate in joint exercises.
He said Islamabad would continue providing the required assistance in personnel, training and logistics. However, he declined to disclose details about additional air and missile defence assets, saying military alliances did not publicly reveal troop numbers or deployment arrangements.
Condemning recent attacks on Saudi airports, cities and civilian infrastructure, the military spokesperson said such strikes threatened regional stability and were a matter of deep concern for Pakistan.
“The security of Saudi Arabia and the Two Holy Mosques is a top, non-negotiable priority,” he said, while calling for restraint and diplomacy to prevent further escalation.
Highlighting Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to ease regional tensions, the DG ISPR referred to the October 26 meeting in Tehran between representatives of the Makkah defence pact and Iran, which aimed to establish a framework for de-escalation and regional cooperation.
He said the participation of Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, following an earlier visit to Tehran, reflected Islamabad’s commitment to resolving disputes through peaceful means. The four countries agreed to continue dialogue aimed at promoting regional stability.
Clarifying the two defence agreements, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif said the bilateral Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, signed by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in September 2025, formalised decades of defence cooperation between the two countries.
Building on that framework, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Alliance in August 2026. Ratified by all three countries and taking effect this month, the agreement provides that an attack on one member would be considered aggression against all.
He reiterated that both agreements were strictly defensive in nature and were not directed against any country.
