Dar says Makkah pact defence committee to meet in Riyadh 'soon'
Dar says Makkah pact defence committee to meet in Riyadh ‘soon’
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday that a meeting of the Strategic Political Defence Committee under the trilateral Makkah pact would take place in Riyadh “soon”.
Dar was addressing a press briefing on the Pakistan delegation’s engagements at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September, along with the high-level meetings held on its sidelines.
“We made a plan because all three of us countries were present (in New York),” Dar said, referring to himself, Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
What the Makkah pact committee will discuss in Riyadh
The Strategic Political Defence Committee, established under the trilateral Makkah Accord, comprises three members from each country: the foreign ministers, the defence ministers and the chiefs of army staff.
Dar said a special meeting of the three army chiefs had already taken place in Riyadh on September 25, while the foreign ministers had met in New York on September 24, in the wake of increased Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
“Very soon, a meeting of the whole SPDC … has been agreed to in principle, to take place in Riyadh,” the deputy prime minister said. He added that the current situation and “ground reality” would be examined during the meeting, particularly with regard to Saudi Arabia.
He said details of the meeting would be shared after it took place.
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye has taken on added weight in recent weeks. Pakistan condemned this week’s Houthi attack on a power station in Madina as a “grave provocation”, and the army’s top brass on Friday expressed solidarity with the kingdom and affirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the security and sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain.
UN chief Guterres to visit Pakistan before end of tenure
At the same briefing, Dar said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres would visit Pakistan “soon”, likely before the end of his tenure on December 31 this year.
He said the UN chief had met the Pakistan delegation at the UNGA session. “We have invited him to Pakistan and the UN secretary general has accepted,” Dar said.
Calling Guterres a great supporter of Pakistan, the deputy premier recalled the “unforgettable” role he played in aiding the country through calamities, a reference to the UN chief’s vocal support for Pakistan after the devastating 2022 floods.
He said the programme for the visit would be released by the government and that it would take place “very soon” on the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“I think it will be a memorable visit,” Dar added.
FAQs
What is the Makkah pact?
The Makkah Accord is a trilateral defence understanding between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. It sets up a Strategic Political Defence Committee made up of the foreign ministers, defence ministers and army chiefs of the three countries.
When will the Makkah pact committee meet in Riyadh?
Deputy PM Ishaq Dar said on October 2, 2026 that a full meeting of the committee had been agreed to in principle and would take place in Riyadh “very soon”. The three army chiefs already met in Riyadh on September 25.
What will the Riyadh meeting discuss?
Dar said the current situation and “ground reality” would be examined, particularly with regard to Saudi Arabia, which has faced increased Houthi attacks in recent weeks.
When is the UN chief visiting Pakistan?
Antonio Guterres is expected to visit Pakistan before his term as UN secretary general ends on December 31, 2026, on the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
