PM Shehbaz Meets Makkah Alliance Chief on Defence Cooperation
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met the first secretary-general of the Makkah Defence Alliance in Islamabad on Wednesday and was briefed on the strategy for defence and strategic cooperation under the pact.
Lt Gen (retd) Nauman Mahmood, who was appointed the alliance’s first secretary-general last month, called on the prime minister. The meeting reviewed how the three-member alliance — Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye — would build joint defence coordination after the pact’s signing on August 7. The prime minister wished Mahmood well for his new role.
The prime minister described the Makkah pact as a historic milestone for peace, unity and stability in the region. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to protecting Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security, saying Pakistan stands shoulder to shoulder with the kingdom.
A pact tested by the Yemen escalation
The meeting comes as the alliance faces its first real test. Saudi Arabia has been locked in escalating tensions with Yemen’s Houthi rebels. On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia struck Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, targeting fuel and energy facilities.
Houthi threats and intercepted cruise missiles wounded four people — two women, a man and a child — and damaged 15 homes in Riyadh, according to Saudi civil defence.
On October 5, the alliance held an emergency meeting in Riyadh where members agreed on the rapid deployment of military forces. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said Pakistan and Turkiye maintain a “presence in theatre”, while only Saudi troops are engaged in combat operations. Asif has also reaffirmed that Pakistan will “practically and diplomatically” stand by Saudi Arabia against the Houthis if the situation escalates.
Pakistan has consistently described the alliance as defensive. Under the pact, an armed attack on any one member is treated as an attack on all three — a collective deterrence arrangement rather than an offensive one.
ISPR’s “any extent” pledge
The military’s media wing has been equally firm. On September 18, ISPR Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistan would go to “any extent” to defend Saudi Arabia, calling Islamabad’s commitment unconditional.
That statement followed the September 2025 strategic mutual defence agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, which the Makkah pact — signed at the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit — has now expanded into a trilateral framework with Turkiye.
The secretary-general’s role
Mahmood’s appointment as the alliance’s first secretary-general gives the pact a permanent institutional head. He met President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday, a day before Wednesday’s meeting with the prime minister — a sign of how seriously Islamabad is treating the alliance’s setup.
Related:
- Zardari Meets Makkah Pact Secretary-General
- FO: Makkah Alliance Forces in Yemen Are Defensive
- Houthis Warn of ‘Painful’ Response as Saudis Strike Yemen Fuel Sites
Frequently asked questions
What is the Makkah Defence Alliance?
It is a trilateral defence pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, signed on August 7. An armed attack on any member is treated as an attack on all, making it a collective deterrence arrangement.
Who is the alliance’s first secretary-general?
Lt Gen (retd) Nauman Mahmood was recently appointed the first secretary-general. He met President Zardari on Tuesday and PM Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday.
What did PM Shehbaz say about the pact?
He called it a historic milestone for regional peace, unity and stability, and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to defending Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Is Pakistan involved in combat in Yemen?
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said Pakistan and Turkiye maintain a presence in the theatre, while only Saudi troops are engaged in combat operations.
