RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Turkiye on Sunday on an official visit, where Pakistani, Turkish and Saudi officials are set to hold the first meeting of the “Strategic Political and Defence Committee” established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
On August 7, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and stipulates that an armed attack against any of the three countries would be regarded as an attack on all.
Pakistan military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), in a statement issued on Sunday, said Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived “in Turkiye on an official visit”.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office earlier in the day said Deputy PM Dar reached Istanbul after concluding his visit to the United Kingdom.
The Turkish foreign ministry confirmed that the first meeting of the “Strategic Political and Defence Committee” established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye will be held in Istanbul on August 31 (Monday).
Turkiye said its Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yasar Guler and Chief of Turkish General Staff Gen Selcuk Bayraktaroglu will participate in the meeting.
Regarding the First Meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee Established Under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement https://t.co/hcw1am45MO pic.twitter.com/ZNqhcvOeut
— Turkish MFA (@MFATurkiye) August 30, 2026
Pakistan’s Deputy Dar Dar has also arrived in Istanbul for official engagements.
Deputy PM Dar was received by Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration Brigadier General Senol Varol, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkiye Dr. Yousaf Junaid and other senior officials of the Turkish Government.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 arrived in Istanbul, Türkiye today for official engagements.
He was received by Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration Brig. Gen. Şenol Varol, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Türkiye Dr. Yousaf Junaid,… pic.twitter.com/nT6AWjy1dR
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 30, 2026
Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had also invited Deputy PM Dar to the Regional-4 meeting in Istanbul, which includes Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt.
The R-4 group has been focused on regional security and emerged in March amid efforts for mediation between the US and Iran.
The last R-4 meeting was held on August 5 in Amman, where the ministers “reaffirmed the importance of continued consultation and close coordination among the four countries in advancing regional stability”, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
Prior to that, a Cairo meeting held in June welcomed the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran. The first and second R-4 meetings — both held in March — took place in Riyadh and Islamabad, respectively.
