Pakistan says defense pact with Turkey, Saudi Arabia is 'purely defensive,' open to other nations

Pakistan's Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated on Sunday that the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement with Turkey and Saudi Arabia is purely defensive, not directed against any country, and open to other nations joining. The pact, signed in Mecca on August 7, 2026, stipulates that an armed attack on one signatory is an attack on all, consistent with Article 51 of the UN Charter. The OIC hailed the agreement as an important strategic step.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Sunday that the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement with Turkey and Saudi Arabia is purely defensive, not directed against any country, and open to other nations joining. The pact, signed in Mecca on August 7, 2026, by Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stipulates that an external armed attack on one signatory is considered an attack on all, citing Article 51 of the UN Charter. Dar's remarks follow earlier comments by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, who said the Islamic world must unite to confront the common threat posed by Israel. The OIC's Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha called the agreement an important strategic step. The agreement does not supersede existing bilateral or multilateral agreements, according to Dar.