Pakistan pledges full support for Saudi defence under Makkah alliance

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said Pakistan is providing the support Saudi Arabia requires for its defence amid continuing regional security concerns. Speaking in an interview aired on Sunday, he placed the commitment within the framework of the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.

The military spokesperson said Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the protection of the Two Holy Mosques, remain paramount for Pakistan. He did not publicly disclose operational details or quantify the assistance being provided, leaving the precise military capabilities and arrangements confidential.

Lieutenant General Chaudhry characterised the Makkah alliance as a defensive collective-security arrangement with no offensive purpose. Under its mutual-defence principle, a direct or indirect attack against any member could trigger a collective response from the participating states. He linked this principle to the internationally recognised right of self-defence.

He said the participating countries had sent clear signals that their collective deterrence mechanism was active. If diplomatic efforts failed and a military confrontation threatened a member state, the alliance’s agreed measures could come into effect. He also stressed that the pact was not designed against a particular country but was intended to discourage threats to regional peace and stability.

Alongside its defence commitments, Islamabad is maintaining contact with Iran and other regional parties to encourage restraint and de-escalation. This dual approach combines preparedness to meet alliance obligations with diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing the security situation from developing into a wider conflict.

The latest remarks follow an emergency meeting of the alliance’s Strategic-Political and Defence Committee in Riyadh on October 5. Representatives of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye discussed threats to the kingdom, the alliance’s institutional development and collective deterrence arrangements.

Maritime security is another part of the expanding cooperation. Saudi Arabia has established a multinational maritime defence coalition in which a Pakistani naval officer serves as deputy commander. Such coordination is significant because waterways surrounding the Arabian Peninsula are crucial to regional trade, energy shipments and international navigation.

Lieutenant General Chaudhry also called for greater unity among Muslim countries and an end to conflicts between them. He said additional states could potentially join the arrangement if they shared its objectives, although any expansion would require decisions by the political leadership of the three existing members.

The statement reinforces Pakistan’s increasingly visible security role in the Middle East while also highlighting the need to manage defence commitments alongside regional diplomacy. Further developments will depend on the course of the security situation, requests made through the alliance and decisions taken jointly by its member governments.