NEW YORK: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye have reviewed progress towards establishing the institutional structures under the Makkah Joint Defence Alliance.
This came during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“Under the framework of the Makkah Joint Defence Alliance (MJDA), we reviewed progress towards establishing the institutional structures under the Agreement and exchanged views on regional and international security issues,” Dar said in a post on X.
Met with my brothers, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud @FaisalbinFarhan and Foreign Minister of Türkiye Hakan Fidan @HakanFidan, along with our respective delegations, on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in… pic.twitter.com/OOwWdMVZtl
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) September 25, 2026
On August 7, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the agreement to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, which stipulated that an armed attack against any of the three countries would be regarded as an attack on all.
🔊PR No.2️⃣6️⃣2️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣
Foreign Ministers of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement Meet on the Margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York
🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/04Oi2Z3gGn
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 25, 2026
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the agreement.
Urgent meeting of chiefs of staff to be held
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry, in a post on X, said the meeting was held within the framework of the agreement, where the three member states condemned the recent Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and discussed arrangements to convene an “urgent meeting of the chiefs of staff of the three countries” to support the Gulf state within the pact.
“They commended the vigilance of the Saudi armed forces and their ability to defend the kingdom’s security,” the statement said, adding that Saudi Arabia held the right to take measures “it deems appropriate” in self-defence.
It added that the three sides reviewed progress on the establishment of the general secretariat, committees, and working groups, as well as “preparations for the commencement of their activities”.
وتطرق الاجتماع، إلى الترتيبات الجارية لعقد اجتماع عاجل لرؤساء الأركان في الدول الثلاث، بهدف بحث سبل مساندة المملكة وفق اتفاقية مكة للدفاع المشترك،وما نصت عليه من أن أي اعتداء على أي طرف يعد هجوماً على جميع الأطراف.
— وزارة الخارجية 🇸🇦 (@KSAMOFA) September 25, 2026
The three also exchanged views on the prevailing situation in the region and underscored the “importance of upholding the principles of international law, good neighbourliness, mutual respect for state sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, and ensuring the security and freedom of maritime navigation”.
Pakistan appoints Lt Gen (Retd) Nauman Mahmood as First Secretary General of Makkah Defence Alliance
Earlier this week, Pakistan appointed Lieutenant General (Retired) Nauman Mahmood, as the first Secretary General of the Makkah Joint Defence Alliance, with the General Secretariat of the alliance to be established in Riyadh.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the appointment on Wednesday, saying Lt Gen Nauman Mahmood would lead the General Secretariat of the alliance.
The appointment marks the establishment of the leadership structure of the General Secretariat pursuant to the Makkah Joint Defence Alliance.
On August 31, the three countries agreed that the first Secretary General of the Makkah Defence Alliance will be from Pakistan for a period of three years.
The decision was taken at the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee format established under the Makkah Defence Alliance. The meeting was held in Istanbul and was attended by the foreign and defence ministers and Chiefs of Defence Forces/Chiefs of General Staff of the three countries.
They agreed to further institutionalise their cooperation under the Makkah Defence Alliance, strengthen solidarity, enhance the credibility and effectiveness of their collective deterrence and defence, and contribute to efforts for a just, inclusive and lasting peace in the region.
Pakistan’s 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 Asif represented Pakistan at the high-level meeting.
