Makkah agreement purely defensive, designed to ensure regional peace: PM

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said the recently signed Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye was entirely defensive in nature and aimed at promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

Addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet in Islamabad, the prime minister said the agreement was not intended to facilitate aggression against any country.

“Its purpose is definitely not that any aggression occurs. It is entirely for defensive purposes, for peace, tranquillity and progress in the region,” he said.

The agreement, signed in Makkah on August 7 by Prime Minister Shehbaz, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, seeks to strengthen collective deterrence among the three countries. Under the pact, an attack against any one of the signatories would be treated as an attack against all three.

Prime Minister Shehbaz described the agreement as a source of strength not only for Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye but also for the wider Muslim Ummah.

“I believe this agreement is a source of strength not just among these three countries, but for the entire Muslim Ummah,” he said.

The prime minister particularly congratulated Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on the signing of the agreement.

Shehbaz said efforts to establish the trilateral defence framework had been under way for several years and had finally materialised with the signing of the pact in Makkah on Friday.

He noted that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had already signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement in September 2025, while Pakistan and Türkiye had maintained defence and security arrangements for decades.

Recalling Pakistan’s longstanding role in the security of Islam’s holiest sites, the prime minister said the Pakistani nation and armed forces had for years had the honour of helping defend Makkah and Madina alongside Saudi forces.

“Last year, with Allah’s grace, this arrangement was officially recognised so that a proper agreement was signed. Friday’s agreement is another extension of it, with a trilateral agreement signed,” he said.

The prime minister said the latest agreement would further strengthen cooperation among the three countries while contributing to peace, progress and prosperity across the region.

Commenting on the ongoing elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, PM Shehbaz said polling in Muzaffarabad and Mirpur divisions had concluded, while voting was taking place in two districts of Poonch division.

He claimed that the results from the two divisions and refugee seats reflected public support for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which had secured a majority in the region.

“The people of AJK have voted in favour of the PML-N, and the votes reflect their confidence in the leadership of Nawaz Sharif,” he said.

The prime minister said the development process in Azad Jammu and Kashmir would resume once the PML-N formed the government in the region.

He also criticised those who had deliberately disrupted law and order in AJK, saying there was “clear evidence” that they had acted at the behest of the nemeses.

“Lawlessness cannot be allowed in any civilised society,” Shehbaz said, adding that political parties should resolve their grievances through dialogue.

“If a party has any demand, it should be resolved through table talks,” he said.

PM Shehbaz also said the sacrifices of Pakistan’s security forces in the fight against terrorism would not go in vain, vowing that the country would once again overcome the menace of terrorism and move towards progress and prosperity.

“The security forces are conducting operations against Fitnatul Khawarij on a daily basis, and these sacrifices will not go in vain,” the prime minister said.

He expressed confidence that Pakistan would eliminate terrorism and resume its journey towards economic development and prosperity.