Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey set to sign joint defence pact

August 07, 2026 (MLN): Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are set to sign a joint defence agreement in Makkah on Friday, marking a significant step in regional security cooperation amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.

Sources familiar with the matter said the agreement would be signed on Friday, with a Turkish official confirming the timeline. It remained unclear whether the signing would be publicly announced the same day, as reported by Reuters.  

While the pact is expected to strengthen defence ties among the three Sunni-majority nations, the specific commitments of each country have not been disclosed.

The agreement comes as Gulf states face growing security challenges following attacks linked to the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

The three countries have increasingly aligned their security interests as instability in the Middle East intensifies.

Turkey possesses NATO's second-largest military, Saudi Arabia is the region's largest economy and a leading oil exporter, while Pakistan is the only Muslim-majority country with nuclear weapons.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Jeddah on Thursday and performed Umrah in Makkah.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also travelled to Saudi Arabia on Friday for meetings with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The leaders are expected to discuss regional security amid continued attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iran and Tehran-backed groups, including Yemen's Houthis and Shi'ite militias in Iraq, since the conflict began on February 28.

The ongoing crisis has exposed security vulnerabilities across the Gulf and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy corridor.

The proposed agreement follows months of negotiations. Earlier this year, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Ankara supported the creation of a broader regional security framework aimed at enhancing cooperation and stability.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan already have an existing defence arrangement under which an attack on one is treated as an attack on the other. However, Pakistan has largely avoided direct military involvement in the Iran conflict, instead seeking to play a mediating role.

Pakistan's government and military did not immediately comment on the reported agreement.

The Foreign Office confirmed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to Saudi Arabia, describing it as an effort to further strengthen bilateral ties. Saudi authorities also did not immediately issue a statement on the reported pact.

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