ISLAMABAD: Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani has congratulated Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on the recent signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.
Dr. Al Zayani spoke with Dar on Tuesday and conveyed his felicitations over the agreement, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.
He also expressed his intention to visit Islamabad in the near future. Ishaq Dar welcomed Dr. Al Zayani’s desire to visit the country and thanked him for his kind sentiments.
“He reiterated Pakistan’s firm commitment to promoting dialogue and diplomacy to achieve peace and stability in the region and beyond,” the statement said.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 received a call from H.E. Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, last night.
Foreign Minister Al Zayani congratulated the DPM/FM on the signing of the Makkah… pic.twitter.com/nrzaktm0Qj
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 11, 2026
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed a joint defence pact on August 7, 2026, establishing a collective security framework under which an armed attack against any one member is considered an attack against all three.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the pact during the “Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence”.
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif were also present at the signing ceremony.
Pakistan-Saudi-Turkiye Defence Pact defensive in nature
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that the recently signed Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye is entirely for defensive purposes, and not for any aggression.
Addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet in Islamabad, the prime minister said the agreement is not intended to facilitate aggression against any country.
“Its purpose is definitely not that any aggression occurs. It is entirely for defensive purposes, for peace, tranquillity and progress in the region,” he affirmed.
“I believe this agreement is a source of strength not just among these three countries, but for the entire Muslim ummah,” he noted.
Shehbaz said efforts to establish the trilateral defence framework had been under way for several years and had finally materialised with the signing of the pact in Makkah.
Also Read: Pakistan-Saudi-Turkiye Defence Pact ‘Entirely for Defensive Purposes’: PM Sharif
He noted that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had already signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement in September 2025, while Pakistan and Turkiye had maintained defence and security arrangements for decades.
PM Shehbaz recalled that the Pakistani nation and the army had been honoured to “defend the world’s holiest places” of Makkah and Madina for years along with the Saudi forces.
Deputy PM felicitates Pakistani nation on signing of Defence Agreement
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar had also extended warm felicitations to the nation on the signing of the “Makkah Joint Defence Agreement” by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.
In his message to the nation, he said this historic accord reflects the depth of our brotherly bonds, shared values and common commitment to peace, security and stability.
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Message to the Nation by the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 on the Signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement
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— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 10, 2026
Ishaq Dar said the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (Makkah Accord) is a significant milestone in Pakistan’s longstanding strategic relationships with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Turkiye. It embodies our shared resolve to strengthen cooperation in addressing the evolving peace and security challenges facing our region.
He reiterated that the Makkah Accord is defensive in nature and that it is not directed against any country. He emphasized that its purpose is to strengthen collective deterrence against external aggression and reinforce our capacity to defend our sovereignty, territorial integrity and peoples.
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Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence
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— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 7, 2026
Ishaq Dar said the Makkah Accord provides that an armed attack against any one of the three countries shall be regarded as an attack against all, consistent with the inherent right of individual and collective self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
The Deputy Prime Minister said Islamabad remains firmly committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes, respect for sovereignty and international law, and the pursuit of regional peace, stability and prosperity.
He said the Makkah Accord is not an instrument of confrontation, but an expression of our collective commitment to peace through strength, solidarity and mutual respect.
