Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have named their joint defense agreement the Mecca Defense Alliance. According to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the first Secretary General of the alliance will be from Pakistan.
This announcement was made after the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee established under the Mecca Defense Agreement in Istanbul. The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers, defense ministers and senior military officials of the three countries.
Pakistan was represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. Relevant ministers and military leadership of Turkey and Saudi Arabia also attended the meeting.
Hakan Fidan said that the three countries have held detailed discussions on the next steps to implement the agreement. Work has also begun on the formation of a permanent institutional system for the alliance.
The three countries have chosen the name Mecca Defense Alliance for the alliance. The secretariat established under it will be in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan will initially provide the Secretary General for a period of three years.
According to Fidan, the aim of the alliance is not to create a front against any country. He said that its main objective is to improve defense cooperation, regional security and stability.
He said that the alliance will give importance to the principles of international law. These principles include the sovereignty of states, territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.
According to the Turkish Foreign Minister, other countries will also be allowed to join the alliance in the future. However, the decision on new membership will be made in stages after consultation.
The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement was signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey in Mecca on August 7, 2026. Under the key clause of the agreement, an armed attack on one member country will be considered an attack on all parties.
The first meeting in Istanbul is an important step towards implementing this agreement. Before this, the agreement had mostly emerged as a political and defense commitment. Now the three countries are working on establishing permanent institutions and a coordination system.
The responsibility of the first Secretary General is of particular importance for Pakistan. This indicates Islamabad’s early role in the alliance’s governance structure.
The three countries have presented this cooperation as a new framework for peace and stability in the region. The practical significance of this alliance will now be evident in the extent to which member states advance defense cooperation, joint projects, and future decisions.
