Urdu Report Desk
Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia have agreed to further institutionalize their cooperation under the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement by establishing a secretariat in Saudi Arabia.
The secretariat will initially be headed by a secretary general from Pakistan for a three-year term.
The decision was made on Monday during the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee established under the Makkah Agreement in Istanbul. Foreign ministers, defense ministers and military chiefs from all three countries attended the meeting.
Secretariat to Be Established in Saudi Arabia
According to a joint statement issued after the meeting, the secretariat in Saudi Arabia will facilitate cooperation among the three countries on defense matters under the Makkah Agreement.
The statement said that, initially, the secretariat will be headed by a secretary general from Pakistan for a period of three years.
Cooperation in Defense Industry and Technology
Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia also expressed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in the defense industry.
The three countries will work to enhance their defense capabilities and strengthen interoperability among their armed forces through joint technology development and production.
Focus on Regional Peace and Collective Defense
The three countries reaffirmed their commitment to working together under the framework of the Makkah Agreement, saying the objective is to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region.
The joint statement said the countries would continue supporting efforts aimed at de-escalation and restraint to encourage peaceful resolution of crises.
It added that the measures agreed under the Makkah Agreement are intended to promote mutual solidarity, ensure the credibility and effectiveness of collective deterrence and defense, and contribute to regional efforts and shared security in pursuit of a just, inclusive and lasting peace.
Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia signed the joint defense agreement in Makkah earlier this month. Under the agreement, an attack on any one of the three countries will be considered an attack against all three.
