Pak-Saudi-Turkiye defence pact open to any other country in region, 'purely defensive': DPM Dar

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey have signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement. Dawn reports the accord functions like NATO's Article 5, treating an attack on any signatory as an attack on all. The pact remains open to other regional countries willing to uphold its principles. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan suggested Egypt could join once technical issues are resolved, and other countries have expressed interest. Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Dar emphasized the agreement is purely defensive and not targeted at any country, but aimed at strengthening regional stability. The pact will operate through political and military committees, with a permanent secretariat in Saudi Arabia overseeing joint training, intelligence sharing, and defense industry cooperation.

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