ISLAMABAD: In a significant development in the implementation of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA), Pakistan has appointed Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood (retired) as the first Secretary General of the alliance pursuant to the agreement.
A brief statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here on Wednesday said, “The government is pleased to announce the appointment of Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood, Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military) (Retired), as the first Secretary General pursuant to the MJDA.”
According to the statement, Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood will head the General Secretariat of the Alliance, which is being established in Riyadh.
The appointment comes as the MJDA between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye is set to head toward the formation of its permanent institutional structure, with the General Secretariat envisaged as the central mechanism for coordinating the alliance’s work.
The development follows the signing of the MJDA, under which the three countries agreed to strengthen defence cooperation. The establishment of the General Secretariat in Riyadh and the appointment of its first Secretary General mark the next phase in operationalising the agreement’s institutional arrangements.
During his military career, Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood held senior command and strategic assignments.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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