RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) - Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has reached Turkiye on an official visit, where he is expected to participate in the first high-level meeting under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia.
The visit comes at a significant time for regional security, with the three countries moving to strengthen defence coordination under the agreement signed earlier this month.
According to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Field Marshal Asim Munir’s visit is aimed at further strengthening defence and strategic cooperation between Pakistan and Turkiye.
During his stay, he is expected to hold important meetings with Turkish political and military leadership to discuss matters of mutual interest, regional security and bilateral defence cooperation.
The visit also coincides with the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which is scheduled to take place in Istanbul on Monday, August 31.
Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said senior officials from Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will attend the meeting.
Trilateral meeting
Pakistan is expected to be represented by Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Turkiye will be represented by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yaşar Güler and Chief of General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, while Saudi Arabia is expected to send its foreign and defence ministers and chief of general staff.
The meeting is expected to focus on international security issues, strengthening defence capabilities, improving interoperability among the three countries’ armed forces and deepening cooperation in the defence industry, including joint production and development.
The gathering marks the first formal committee-level engagement under the trilateral defence framework established in Makkah earlier this month.
Makkah defence pact
Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7 during a summit in Makkah attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against all three.
The accord is intended to strengthen collective deterrence and deepen cooperation on security and defence.
Pakistan has stressed that the agreement is defensive in nature and is not directed against any particular country.
Islamabad has also said the accord is intended to reinforce the three countries’ capacity to protect their sovereignty and territorial integrity while supporting regional peace and stability.
Defence cooperation
Pakistan and Turkiye already maintain close military ties, including cooperation in defence production, training and military exercises.
Saudi Arabia also has longstanding defence links with Pakistan and growing military and defence-industrial cooperation with Turkiye.
The new trilateral framework provides an additional platform for coordinating these relationships as the three countries seek to enhance their collective security capabilities.
Turkiye has indicated that the agreement remains open to possible expansion, while emphasising that it does not seek to replace existing alliances.
Turkish officials have also said the pact does not identify Iran or any other country as a common threat.
The Istanbul meeting is therefore expected to set out the next steps for implementing the agreement, with discussions likely to cover defence coordination, military interoperability and cooperation in defence technology and production.