Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia activate Makkah pact's defense commitments

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye on Monday agreed to immediately activate the Makkah Defense Alliance after ongoing security threats to the Kingdom, marking the first activation of the three countries' defense agreement, signed earlier this year.

The decision follows an emergency meeting in Riyadh, where the alliance's Political and Defense Committee agreed to deploy rapid forces designated under the agreement, along with military capabilities.

In a statement on X, Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi Defense Minister, said, “The emergency meeting ... affirms the solidarity and unified stance of our countries in confronting the sinful aggressions that targeted the Kingdom and the Holy Sanctuaries."

Under agreed arrangements, the three countries will take additional measures under their respective national laws, the joint statement said.

Each member in the alliance, the statement stressed, is an "inseparable part" of the collective security rooted in the defense pact.

Vowing to strengthen deterrence and demonstrate resolve, the allied countries are set to take practical steps to fulfill the agreement's commitments to defend their security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

In addition, the statement jointly agreed to condemn attempts to target the holy cities of Mecca and Medina alongside other Saudi cities and infrastructure.

Further, Turkey and Pakistan praised the readiness and effectiveness of Saudi armed forces in countering threats.