Pakistan, Saudi and Turkiye ink joint defence agreement to treat attack on one as attack on all

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on Friday (August 7) signed a key joint defence agreement under which an attack against one of them will be treated as an attack against all of them, amid increasing security concerns in the wake of escalating tensions in West Asia.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the pact after the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence at the Al-Safa Palace in Islam's holiest city of Mecca, according to a joint statement issued by the three countries.

The 'Makkah Joint Defence Agreement' is "intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all,” it said.

"It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defence cooperation among the three States,” the statement said.

The agreement reflects "the three States' shared commitment to further strengthening their collective security and to promoting peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond, in pursuit of a secure and prosperous future," it added.

The pact ties together Pakistan, the only nuclear-armed Muslim country, Saudi Arabia, the home to Islam’s holiest sites and one of the world’s top oil exporters, and Turkiye, a NATO member state.

Erdogan said that the tripartite pact is "not against any country."

In a post on X, he said that the agreement, "based on collective deterrence, will contribute to advancing our security and defence cooperation, developing joint projects in the defence industry, and combating terrorism."

He added that the agreement "targets no country and is open to the participation of all brotherly countries that aim for the peace, prosperity, and stability of our region."

Sharif hoped that the agreement would bring prosperity to the three countries.

"May this historic pact, signed in the shadow of the Haramain (holy mosque), remain a shield of peace for generations to come and may it bring prosperity for our three brotherly countries...," he said in a post on X.

The development comes at a time when the West Asia conflict has widened across multiple fronts, including the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, prompting Gulf states to strengthen regional security coordination.

During the ongoing war in West Asia, Iran launched multiple attacks on Gulf countries housing US bases and has warned them against allowing their territory to be used for American attacks on the Islamic Republic.

Pakistan, which played the role of a mediator between the US and Iran, last week said it is “doing its utmost” to bring them back to the negotiating table under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 18.

Last week, Saudi Arabia proposed a Multinational Maritime Defence Coalition (MMDC) to safeguard commercial shipping lanes and critical energy supply routes through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait after Saudi ships came under attack from Iran-backed Yemen's Houthis.

Fourteen countries, including Pakistan, expressed support for the initiative, underscoring growing concerns over the security of one of the world's most vital maritime corridors, according to reports.

Also, tensions have increased between Turkiye and Israel in recent months over Gaza and Syria, with an Israeli minister saying that Erdogan should “sit quietly and remain silent."

In September last year, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had signed a mutual defence agreement, pledging that any attack on either country would be treated as an “act of aggression against both."

Under the defence framework, Pakistan deployed military personnel and aircraft to Saudi Arabia to support joint training, defence cooperation and the kingdom's security requirements.

During Friday's summit, the "distinguished relations" between the three countries were reviewed, "along with a number of issues of mutual interest", the statement said.

It said the pact is "guided by the longstanding historical ties among the three states, based on the enduring bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity that unite them, and building upon their shared strategic interests and longstanding defence cooperation."

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said the agreement by the three countries marked an important milestone in their defence cooperation and reflected their shared desire to coordinate efforts to address challenges and threats affecting regional security and stability.

In a post on X, Saudi Arabia's Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly said that the agreement "does not constitute a threat to the security of any country in the region, nor does it represent an escalation of tensions between any two states."

"The agreement does not represent an effort to establish a military axis or a sectarian bloc. Nor is it linked to any nuclear ambitions or arms race, rather it is focused on building sustainable capabilities," he wrote on X.

Before the summit, Prime Minister Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, who arrived here on a three-day official visit on Thursday, met the Saudi crown prince, the prime minister's office said.

Sharif was also accompanied by Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, among others, it said.

Sharif, Mohammed and Erdogan together offered Friday prayers at Qasr Al-Safa. Dar, Munir, as well as senior Saudi and Turkish officials, also attended the prayers, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office.

"Although taking place amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, the visit carries significance beyond the immediate crisis and short-term considerations. It will further strengthen bilateral relations, deepen strategic cooperation, enhance coordination on regional and international issues of mutual interest and also reinforce multilateral cooperation,” the Foreign Office had said on Thursday.