ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have agreed in principle to convene an emergency meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee (SPDC) in Riyadh soon to deliberate on the evolving regional situation and Saudi Arabia’s security concerns in the wake of Houthi attacks targeting Saudi territory and holy sites, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (DPM/FM) Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said on Friday.
Briefing the media on Pakistan’s diplomatic engagements during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Dar said that he held a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Türkiye’s Hakan Fidan. We held consultations on the sidelines of the UNGA and agreed on the need to convene a meeting of the full SPDC.
The SPDC, established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, comprises the foreign ministers, defence ministers and chiefs of army staff of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. The three countries have already begun work on establishing the agreement’s institutional structures, including its secretariat, committees and working groups.
Dar said a special meeting of the three military chiefs had already been held in Riyadh on September 25, following the foreign ministers’ consultations in New York. He said the forthcoming meeting of the full SPDC would examine the current situation and ground realities, particularly developments concerning Saudi Arabia.
The foreign minister described the upcoming session as an emergency meeting, adding that the committee would subsequently meet according to its planned schedule after the end of October or at the beginning of November, when further institutional work under the agreement was expected to be completed.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye had earlier condemned attacks targeting Makkah and Saudi civilian and economic infrastructure and reaffirmed their commitment to regional stability, freedom of navigation, international law and peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Dar said Pakistan had advised Iran that the crisis involving the Houthi movement should be addressed through political engagement rather than kinetic action.
He said Pakistan had discussed the issue with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York, stressing that negotiations and diplomacy remained the only viable means of resolving regional conflicts.
According to Dar, the Iranian side had conveyed its position that it was not responsible for the actions of the Houthi movement and had distanced itself from the Yemeni group. Pakistan, he said, would continue to favour dialogue and political engagement over military escalation.
The issue is also expected to figure in consultations between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye as the three countries consider their response to the evolving regional security situation under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement. The agreement provides that an external armed attack against one of its three parties would be regarded as an attack against all, while Pakistan has repeatedly described the pact as defensive and aimed at peace and stability.
Dar also reiterated Pakistan’s desire to see Afghanistan develop into a peaceful and prosperous country, saying Islamabad remained committed to constructive engagement and regional stability.
Dar disclosed that six countries had expressed keen interest in joining the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, but did not name the countries or clarify whether all six were Muslim-majority states.
The agreement itself has been described by Pakistan as open to countries willing to uphold its principles and resolve differences through mutual respect, cooperation and peaceful means.
On the water dispute with India, Dar reiterated Pakistan’s position that any suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) constitutes an act of war, stressing that the treaty remains a lifeline for Pakistan.
He said water security was among the key issues Pakistan had highlighted at the international level and reaffirmed Islamabad’s position that unilateral suspension of the treaty could not be accepted.
Dar also announced that United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had accepted Pakistan’s invitation to visit the country and was likely to undertake the visit before the completion of his tenure on December 31.
The deputy prime minister said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had invited the UN chief during their engagement in New York and that Guterres had accepted the invitation.
Dar recalled Guterres’ support for Pakistan, particularly during natural disasters and other difficult periods, and said the visit was expected to be “memorable”. The detailed programme would be announced by the government.
Dar’s briefing followed extensive Pakistani diplomatic engagements during the 81st UNGA session, where Islamabad also highlighted its positions on regional conflicts, Palestine, Kashmir, water security and dialogue-based conflict resolution. The Foreign Office has separately confirmed that Dar and his Saudi and Turkish counterparts met in New York under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement and discussed preparations for the agreement’s institutional mechanisms.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026