Dar, Asif, Field Marshal Munir head to Riyadh for Makkah Pact meeting

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir will attend a high-level meeting under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement today in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, the Pakistani officials will participate in a meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee (SPDC), established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

The meeting will also be attended by the foreign and defence ministers, as well as the chiefs of general staff of Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.

The participants will discuss the latest developments in the region and review ongoing cooperation under the framework of the Makkah Agreement.

The Foreign Office said that Pakistan’s participation in the meeting reflected its commitment to contributing to regional peace and stability.

Makkah Agreement: Defence chiefs vow to translate commitments into military cooperation

The visit follows a meeting of the chiefs of defence forces and chiefs of general staff of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye in Riyadh last month.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the participants strongly resented the attacks targeting the Holy City of Makkah and civilian and economic infrastructure. They appreciated the vigilance and professionalism of the Saudi Armed Forces for ensuring safety of the people and security of the Kingdom.

According to the military’s media wing, the participants also discussed ways to further advance cooperation among the armed forces of the three countries and to enhance intelligence sharing, military coordination, and capability integration, thereby strengthening deterrence and collective defense.

The participants commended the longstanding relations and mutual trust that bind the people and the armed forces of the three countries.

They noted that their meeting in Riyadh reflects the strength of their defense partnership and their shared determination to immediately translate the commitments of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement into effective military cooperation.