Pakistan ratifies tri-nation defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey

Pakistan confirmed on Friday that it has ratified a joint defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan stated that Islamabad and Riyadh have both finished their respective ratification processes for the treaty. The three nations signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on 7 August. Khan noted that the operational details and final implementation remain under discussion among the parties.

Turkey has not yet completed its internal approval steps. Consequently, the pact lacks full ratification by all signatories. The original signing ceremony in Mecca was attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The text establishes a collective defence mechanism for external armed attacks. It specifies that the level and nature of assistance will be determined by the specific circumstances of any conflict.

Progress toward implementation accelerated following a meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee on 5 October. That body agreed to activate collective defence commitments. It also mandated the rapid deployment of military forces and capabilities into Saudi Arabia, subject to the domestic laws of each state. Islamabad characterizes the pact as strictly defensive and consistent with the United Nations Charter.

The announcement coincides with heightened security concerns in the region. Saudi Civil Defence issued warnings this week regarding potential dangers in the southwestern cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait. Authorities later declared the threat had passed. They advised residents to avoid gathering or filming in the affected zones but did not specify the nature of the risk, according to Anadolu Agency.

These alerts aligned with missile and drone strikes by Yemen’s Houthis on Saudi territory. Reuters reported on 21 October that Riyadh’s allies were primarily providing defensive support to protect the kingdom’s infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced large-scale exercises for Sunday and Monday in the northern and central regions. The drills involve air force units and will rehearse scenarios for surprise air and land attacks to test readiness for multi-front defence.

Regional tensions are further compounded by reports of potential renewed military action against Iran. President Trump stated on Friday that the United States might conduct another operation as the conflict approaches its eighth month. A report in The Business Times, citing US officials, indicated that American and Israeli forces have drawn up plans for fresh strikes after the US midterm elections on 3 November. Potential targets include Iranian energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and missile capabilities.