ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace and stability under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, saying the pact would strengthen defensive cooperation among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
The president made the remarks during a meeting with Lieutenant General (retd) Nauman Mahmood, the first secretary-general of the Makkah defence alliance, at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad on Tuesday.
Zardari expressed confidence that the agreement, signed by Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia on August 7, 2026, would contribute to regional peace and stability through defensive cooperation guided by the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law.
President Reaffirms Pakistan’s Commitment to Regional Peace and Defensive Cooperation Under Makkah Accord
Lieutenant General (Rtd.) Nauman Mahmood, the first Secretary General pursuant to Makkah Joint Defence Agreement called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr today. He will lead the General Secretariat of the Alliance being established at Riyadh.
The President expressed confidence that the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia on 7 August 2026, would strengthen regional peace and stability through defensive cooperation guided by the principles of the UN Charter and international law.
The President underscored that the Accord is purely defensive in nature, is not directed against any country and does not constitute the formation of a new bloc. He emphasised that Pakistan remains committed to the peaceful resolution of conflicts and enhanced regional and multilateral cooperation to address emerging challenges.
Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi was also present during the meeting.
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) October 13, 2026
He stressed that the accord was purely defensive, was not directed against any country and did not represent the formation of a new bloc.
The president also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to resolving conflicts peacefully and strengthening regional and multilateral cooperation to address emerging challenges.
Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi was also present at the meeting.
Who Is Lt Gen Nauman Mahmood?
Lieutenant General (retd) Nauman Mahmood is a former senior Pakistan Army commander with experience in military operations, intelligence, professional military education and strategic affairs.
A member of the Baloch Regiment, Mahmood was commissioned into the Pakistan Army on September 11, 1987.
During his career, he held various command and instructional positions, including assignments with an infantry formation and at the Command and Staff College. As a major general, he commanded an infantry division in North Waziristan.
He also served in the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), including as director general of its Analysis Directorate, where his responsibilities included assessing regional and international developments.
Promoted to lieutenant general in April 2019, Mahmood was appointed inspector general for Communications and Information Technology at General Headquarters. In December 2019, he took command of XI Corps, commonly known as Peshawar Corps.
He led the corps until November 2021, during a period of significant political and security changes in neighbouring Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US forces.
Mahmood was subsequently appointed president of the National Defence University (NDU) in Islamabad, becoming its 35th president. He held the position until he retired from the army in April 2023.
His professional military education included courses in Pakistan and abroad, including at the Command and Staff College in Egypt. He is also a graduate of the NDU.
His appointment marked a key institutional step for the trilateral arrangement, giving Pakistan a leading role in establishing and directing the alliance’s first secretariat during its initial three-year period.
The decision followed the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee, held under the agreement in Istanbul on August 31. The meeting brought together the foreign and defence ministers and military chiefs of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
Under the arrangement, the secretary-general will lead the alliance’s General Secretariat in Riyadh. The office is tasked with overseeing implementation of the agreement, coordinating joint activities among the three militaries and supporting expanded defence-industrial cooperation.
The appointment also allows Islamabad to help shape the alliance’s institutional structure as the three countries seek to translate their political commitment into a more organised framework for defence coordination.
Significance Of The Pact
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement represents a further step in longstanding military and strategic cooperation between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
Signed in Makkah on August 7, 2026, the pact established a framework for collective deterrence and defence cooperation. Under its provisions, an armed attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all three.
The three countries already maintain extensive military ties. Pakistan has provided training and technical assistance to Saudi forces for decades, while Islamabad and Ankara have developed close defence links through military training, naval cooperation and defence equipment.
The signing in Makkah, Islam’s holiest city, added symbolic significance to an agreement bringing together three countries with substantial military and strategic capabilities.
