Pakistan Finalizes Tri-Nation Defense Deal
Islamabad completed ratification of the Mecca pact on Friday, two months after the agreement was signed, as Houthi strikes continue to target Saudi infrastructure.
By Pedro Salazar ·
Pakistan completed the legal process to join a military alliance with Turkey and Saudi Arabia on Friday. Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan confirmed that Islamabad and Riyadh have finished their respective ratification procedures. The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed by the three nations on 7 August. Khan stated that discussions regarding the operational details of the pact remain ongoing among the three parties.
Turkey has not yet finished its domestic approval steps, meaning the treaty is not yet fully active for all signatories. The agreement was signed in Mecca by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The core provision mandates that the three countries provide mutual support if any one of them faces an external armed attack. Islamabad has characterized the deal as a defensive measure consistent with the United Nations Charter.
The path to implementation accelerated following a meeting on 5 October involving the Strategic Political and Defence Committee of the three states. That body recommended that military forces be deployed to Saudi Arabia quickly if needed, provided such actions comply with each country's internal laws. The committee emphasized that the collective defense commitments should be executed based on the specific circumstances of any future threat.
The ratification announcement arrived as Saudi Arabia faced renewed pressure from Yemen's Houthi movement. Civil Defence authorities issued warnings this week about potential dangers in the southwestern cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait. Officials later declared the threat had passed but advised residents to avoid gathering in those areas. Authorities did not specify the exact nature of the threat, according to reports from Anadolu Agency.
These alerts coincided with missile and drone strikes on Saudi targets. Reuters reported on 21 October that Riyadh's allies were primarily offering defensive assistance to help protect the kingdom's infrastructure from further attacks. The timing of Pakistan's vote highlights the immediate security concerns driving the alliance's creation.
Regional tensions remain high as the Israeli military announced large-scale exercises for Sunday and Monday in the north and center of the country. These drills involve the air force and units from the Northern and Central Commands, focusing on surprise attack scenarios. The military stated the exercises are designed to test readiness for defending against multiple fronts simultaneously.
Preparations in the region continue as Washington and Tel Aviv consider new options against Iran. President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States might conduct another military operation as the conflict enters its eighth month. A report by The Business Times citing US officials indicated that American and Israeli forces have drafted plans for fresh strikes after the US midterm elections on 3 November, with Iranian energy, nuclear, and missile sites as potential targets.
Source: Middle East Eye
