ISLAMABAD: The military chiefs of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye will hold an urgent meeting to discuss ways to support Saudi Arabia under the Makkah Joint Defence Alliance (MJDA), the Foreign Office said on Friday.
The Foreign Office confirmed the development in a statement following a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“The Ministers also discussed plans to convene an urgent meeting of the chiefs of staff of the three countries to explore ways to assist the Kingdom under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which stipulates that an attack against any one of its parties shall be considered an attack against all parties,” the statement said.
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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
The Ministers reviewed progress made towards establishing the General Secretariat and Committees and working groups under the Agreement, as well as preparations for the commencement of their work.
They strongly condemned the heinous attacks targeting the Holy City of Makkah and civilian and economic facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“They commended the vigilance of the Saudi Armed Forces and their ability to defend the Kingdom’s security,” the statement said.
They reaffirmed the Kingdom’s right to take such measures as it deems appropriate to defend its security, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye discuss regional situation
The Ministers further discussed the current situation in the region, underscoring the importance of upholding the principles of international law, good neighborliness, mutual respect for the sovereignty of states, and non-interference in their internal affairs, as well as ensuring the security and freedom of navigation.
“They reiterated their determination to work together towards achieving sustainable peace and stability in the region, support efforts towards de-escalation and encourage peaceful resolution to crises,” the Foreign Office said.
Ishaq Dar also confirmed the meeting with his counterparts, saying they exchanged views on regional and international security issues.
In a post on X, he said that the three top diplomats also reviewed progress towards establishing the institutional structures under the MJDA.
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.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the agreement.
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.
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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.
