Makkah Defence Alliance Chief to Take Charge in Riyadh
The Makkah Defence Alliance moved a step closer to full operation on Friday, as Pakistan said the alliance’s first secretary general would soon take charge in Riyadh.
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan told the weekly press briefing in Islamabad that retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood was expected to assume his responsibilities in the Saudi capital soon.
Mahmood was appointed on September 23 as the first secretary general of the alliance between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed on August 7, binds the three members to treat an armed attack on one as an attack on all.
Khan said the three members would jointly decide when to convene a meeting of the alliance.
Why the Makkah Defence Alliance appointment matters
The alliance has drawn close attention as Saudi Arabia faces attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, including a deadly strike that closed Riyadh’s international airport for two weeks last month.
Pakistan has said it will provide “whatever support is needed” to defend Saudi Arabia. The military’s spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, gave that assurance in mid-October.
At the same time, the Inter-Services Public Relations director general made clear that the alliance had no offensive intent. He said all members were “absolutely clear” that it was purely defensive.
“Pakistan is giving very strong signals that this collective deterrence is at play, has already been actualised and we will take all necessary steps for the security and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Haramain Sharifain,” he said. Haramain Sharifain refers to the Two Holy Mosques.
Two pacts with Riyadh
Islamabad now has two defence pacts with Riyadh. The first is the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The second is the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which also includes Turkiye.
The trilateral pact moved closer to force this week. On Thursday, the Turkish parliament approved a bill ratifying the agreement.
The Foreign Office said late last month that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had already completed their ratification processes. It noted that each country followed its own constitutional and legal procedures to approve and ratify international agreements.
Feature Pakistan reported on Turkiye’s ratification of the Makkah pact and on the first steps towards ratification.
Pakistan’s push for dialogue in the Gulf
The Foreign Office briefing also covered the crisis in the Gulf. Khan said Pakistan would continue its efforts to bring Iran and the United States towards dialogue.
He said Islamabad had brought the two sides under one roof despite them having remained out of contact for decades. He pointed to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed between the warring parties on June 18, as proof of Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts.
Pakistan, Qatar and other countries were actively contributing to mediation efforts, he added.
Khan stressed that peace in the region could be reached through “political dialogue and diplomacy” rather than war. He accepted that negotiations could take time, but said the issues could still be settled through diplomacy.
He also described Israel as a “spoiler” in the US-Iran war and criticised its expansionist policies. Peace in the region was not in Israel’s interest, he said, and its expansionist ambitions were among the major causes of the current crisis.
Those ambitions were not limited to Iran, he added. Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and other countries in the region were also affected.
Pakistan has pressed for a diplomatic way out of the standoff. Feature Pakistan has followed Iran’s engagement with Pakistan to defuse tensions and Saudi Arabia’s denial of a reported Houthi demand.
US midterm elections
Asked about the midterm elections in the United States, Khan said elections were an internal matter of that country. He added that Pakistan maintained close relations with Washington.
Democrats seized control of the US Congress earlier this week, capturing the Senate and House of Representatives in a sweeping rejection of Donald Trump. The result is set to slow the final two years of his presidency.
Who is the first secretary general of the Makkah Defence Alliance?
Retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood, appointed on September 23. He is expected to assume his duties in Riyadh soon.
What does the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement say?
The agreement, signed on August 7, empowers Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye to consider an armed attack on one member an attack on all.
Has the pact come into force?
Turkiye’s parliament ratified it on Thursday. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had already completed their ratification processes, according to the Foreign Office.
Is the alliance offensive or defensive?
Pakistan says it is purely defensive. The military’s spokesperson has said all members are clear on that point.
