OIC hails Makkah defence deal as PM returns

• Shehbaz visits Madina before departure
• Turkish minister says pact same as Nato’s Article 5
• Bilawal terms it historic document for regional peace

ISLAMABAD: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has welcomed the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, terming it an “important strategic step”.

The pact aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empowers the three states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them.

In a statement posted on X, OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha expressed his “strong appreciation and support” for the agreement, describing it as an “important strategic step” that reflected the three countries’ commitment to strengthening regional and international cooperation.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the pact during the “Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence”. Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif were also present at the signing ceremony.

Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly has said the new tripartite agreement “does not supersede or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between these countries”. Earlier, the Turkish president said the pact targets no country and remains open to participation of other friendly nations seeking peace.

On Saturday morning, the prime minister paid a visit to Masjid-i-Nabvi in Madina. He then departed for Pakistan from the Madina airport, where he was seen off by Madina Governor Prince Salman bin Sultan Al Saud.

‘Erdogan wants alliance to grow’

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the defence pact is technically the same as Nato’s Article 5 mutual defence agreement, adding that the accord is not targeting Iran, Reuters reported.

He added that a committee of ministers similar to that within Nato would be formed as part of the alliance, as well as a general secretariat based in Saudi Arabia, but that operational details would be set at the first committee meeting.

He further said Turkish Presi­d­ent Erdogan wanted to see the alliance expand, and that Egypt was a potential candidate to join, among others.

Meanwhile, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sa­­diq welcomed the signing of the agreement, describing it as a significant milestone for regional peace.

Also, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, also a former foreign minister, hailed the agreement as a “significant milestone” in the country’s history.

In a post on X, he noted that the pact was a “historic development that will further strengthen our defence capabilities”.

“This agreement is not only a guarantee of a stable and secure future for Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, but also a historic document for regional and global peace,” he emphasised.

The PPP chairman also praised the roles of PM Shehbaz and CDF Munir “in making the agreement possible”.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2026