Why Did Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye Hold Urgent Military Talks?

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye’s military chiefs met in Riyadh to condemn attacks on Makkah, review security threats and discuss collective defence and military cooperation under their pact.

Why Did Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye Hold Urgent Military Talks?

ISLAMABAD: Military chiefs from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye held an urgent meeting in Riyadh on Friday to discuss security threats facing the kingdom and condemn attacks targeting Makkah and Saudi civilian and economic infrastructure.

The meeting, held under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA), marked the first exclusive high-level military coordination among the three countries since they signed the defence pact last month.

Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen Selcuk Bayraktaroglu and Saudi Chief of General Staff Gen Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili attended the meeting, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The military commanders reviewed the regional security situation and threats facing Saudi Arabia. They strongly condemned attacks targeting the holy city of Makkah and the kingdom’s civilian and economic infrastructure, while praising Saudi forces for their vigilance and professionalism in protecting the country and its people.

The commanders also discussed expanding military cooperation, intelligence sharing, coordination and the integration of defence capabilities to strengthen collective security and deterrence. They reaffirmed their commitment to collective defence and Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The meeting followed an agreement by the three countries’ foreign ministers in New York to convene their military chiefs amid escalating attacks on Saudi territory. The ministers, including Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, also condemned attacks on Makkah and Saudi infrastructure.

The agreement includes a collective-defence provision stating that an attack against any one of the three members would be considered an attack against all. However, Friday’s meeting did not disclose whether the countries had agreed on specific military assistance, troop deployments or operational arrangements.

The pact was signed in Makkah on August 7 by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Since then, the countries have taken steps to establish its institutional framework.

At a meeting in Istanbul on August 31, officials agreed to establish a permanent secretariat in Riyadh and discussed military interoperability, defence-industry cooperation, joint production and counterterrorism coordination. Pakistan subsequently appointed retired Lt Gen Nauman Mahmood as the alliance’s first secretary general.

The three governments have described the alliance as defensive and not directed against any particular country. The Riyadh talks represent an initial military-level consultation on implementing its commitments amid regional tensions.