Makkah Defence Pact Aims to Promote Regional Peace, Says DG ISPR
- Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry says the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-Turkiye agreement is purely defensive and targets no country or alliance.
- Any response to an attack on a member would be decided by the participating countries’ leadership, while operational details remain classified.
- Pakistan supports dialogue and impartial mediation to prevent conflicts from spreading, with the pact potentially open to new partners.
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye is a purely defensive arrangement intended to strengthen deterrence and support regional peace, ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said.
In an interview with Al Arabiya, the military spokesperson said the pact contained no element of aggression or interference and was not directed against any country or alliance.
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He explained that if one of the three participating countries came under attack, their leadership would determine how to respond. The operational details of the defence commitments, he added, remained classified.
Chaudhry said the agreement formalised Pakistan’s longstanding relationships with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. Its significance extended beyond the three members, with the potential to contribute to wider regional security and stability.
Discussing regional tensions, the DG ISPR said Pakistan’s priority was to prevent existing conflicts from spreading and encourage a peaceful resolution through dialogue.
He pointed to Islamabad’s longstanding relations with both the United States and Iran, saying these ties placed Pakistan in a position to facilitate mediation. Pakistan had no personal or vested interest in the dispute, he added, and wanted differences addressed through negotiations.
Chaudhry urged all sides to focus on containing the conflict rather than seeking a solution through confrontation in the air, on land or at sea. He said negotiations offered the path to resolving disputes.
Countries willing to facilitate talks should continue to act impartially, he said, while also indicating that the Makkah defence arrangement could be expanded to include new partners.
