Dar clarifies scope, intent of Makkah Joint Defence Agreement

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday sought to clarify the scope and intent of the recently signed “Makkah Joint Defence Agreement” (the Makkah Accord), amid continuing public discussion over the past two days.

In a post on X, Dar said the agreement, signed jointly by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in Makkah Mukarramah on Friday, reflected the depth of brotherly relations between the leadership and peoples of the three countries.

He said the accord was the culmination of years of discussions and coordination, driven by a shared desire to strengthen strategic cooperation in addressing a range of peace and security challenges and to advance regional peace, stability and prosperity.

The foreign minister stressed that the Makkah Accord did not abrogate or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements that Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye have with each other, with other countries, or with international organisations.

Under the agreement, Dar said, any external armed attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all three, consistent with the inherent right of individual and collective self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

He described the accord as “purely defensive in nature,” saying it was not targeted against any country and that its sole purpose was to reinforce ongoing efforts towards peace, stability and prosperity in the wider region.

Dar added that the agreement remained open to any country in the region willing to uphold its fundamental principles and resolve differences through mutual respect, cooperation and peaceful means.

He said the Makkah Accord was consistent with the fundamental pillars of Pakistan’s foreign policy, and that Islamabad looked forward to continuing to work closely with all brotherly countries in the region towards lasting peace and stability.

“We remain committed to advancing the cause of peaceful resolution of all conflicts and building a more secure, stable and prosperous future for our peoples,” Dar said.

The clarification comes amid heightened interest in the trilateral defence pact since its signing in Makkah earlier this week, with Dar’s statement aimed at addressing questions around its legal status vis-a-vis existing agreements, as well as its stated defensive character.