Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye sign defence pact amid West Asia tensions

Shehbaz Sharif sealed a trilateral defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in Mecca. The pact signals deeper regional security coordination as West Asia tensions intensify.

In Short

• Sharif returned to Lahore after meetings in Mecca with Saudi leaders
• Army chief Asim Munir and Ishaq Dar accompanied the prime minister
• The pact expands military cooperation across sectors and treats aggression collectively

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returned home on Saturday after a three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia that ended with the signing of a joint defence agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. The pact was signed amid heightened tensions in West Asia.

The agreement, signed on Friday by Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, says that an armed attack on any one of the three countries will be treated as an attack on all three. It also provides for expanding defence cooperation in all areas, according to a joint statement issued after the signing.

Sharif arrived at Lahore airport on Saturday, where he was received by officials, his office said. The agreement was signed at the Al-Safa Palace in Mecca. Sharif was accompanied on the visit by his deputy Ishaq Dar and Army chief Asim Munir, among others.

The trilateral agreement follows the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in 2025, under which aggression against either country was to be considered aggression against both.

Speaking to PTI on Saturday, former Pakistan information minister Fawad Chaudhry, now an opposition leader, said the agreement was a clear political signal that Islamabad, Riyadh and Ankara wanted to deepen defence coordination and build greater collective capacity. However, he said the picture would become clearer once the details of the agreement were made public.

Chaudhry said the agreement should not be seen as being directed against Iran. He said, "It is hoped this agreement is not taken as anti-Iran. Turkiye's relations with Saudi Arabia had never been ideal since World War II. Pakistan must have played its role to bring both Turks and Saudis close. Now the Middle East's resources will be used for Pakistan's defence capabilities."

The latest pact comes as the conflict in West Asia has widened across multiple fronts, including the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, prompting Gulf states to strengthen regional security coordination. During the ongoing conflict, Iran launched multiple attacks on Gulf countries hosting US bases and warned them against allowing their territory to be used for American attacks on it.

Pakistan has sought to play a mediatory role between the United States and Iran. Islamabad said last week that it was "doing its utmost" to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in June. The Saudi visit, and the defence agreement signed during it, marked the central outcome of Sharif's trip as regional tensions continue to rise.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends