Pakistan has made it clear that the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is not directed against any country and that other countries may also join the pact.
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Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar made these remarks in a post on X on Sunday.
The remarks by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister are particularly significant in the context of earlier comments by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, who had said that “the Islamic world must unite to confront the common threat posed by Israel,” Asif said after the agreement was signed.
Dar added that the Mecca Agreement is purely defensive in nature, is not directed against any country, and is aimed solely at further strengthening ongoing efforts for peace, stability and prosperity across the wider region.
He said the Mecca Agreement is the result of several years of discussions and mutual consultations, aimed at strengthening strategic cooperation to address various security challenges and promote peace, stability and prosperity across the region.
A Middle Eastern NATO, collective self-defense
According to Dar, the agreement does not supersede or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between the three countries, nor does it affect their existing agreements with other countries or organizations.
It also stipulates that an external armed attack against any one of the three countries will be considered an attack against all three. This principle is consistent with the right of individual and collective self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to working closely with all brotherly countries in the region to promote lasting peace and stability: “We remain committed to advancing efforts for the peaceful resolution of all disputes and to building a safer, more stable and prosperous future for our people.”
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed the agreement in Mecca on Friday in the presence of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Meanwhile, The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) hailed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement as an “important strategic step.” OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha said the agreement would help strengthen security and stability in the region and the Muslim world.