Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia hold first Makkah Accord meeting in Istanbul

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The first meeting between Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia under the Makkah joint defence agreement has begun in Istanbul, with senior officials from the three countries attending talks on defence and security cooperation.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir are representing Pakistan at the Istanbul meeting.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Defence Minister Yasar Guler and Chief of General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu are attending the meeting. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman and Chief of General Staff General Fayyad bin Hamid Al-Ruwaili are also participating.

The meeting will focus on important consultations on defence and security cooperation among Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.

The three countries will discuss global security and ways to strengthen their respective defence capabilities. Discussions will also cover joint production and technology cooperation in the defence industries of the three countries.

Earlier, Turkish National Defence Minister Yasar Guler met Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, with the two sides also discussing bilateral relations.

Guler also met Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. The meeting was held ahead of the inaugural session of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee established under the Makkah joint defence agreement and focused on bilateral engagement.

The meeting comes as Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia seek to give an institutional framework to their strategic defence partnership amid continuing changes in the regional security situation.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. During the meeting, Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to sustained efforts for regional peace and stability and expressed satisfaction over the continued strengthening and expansion of bilateral relations.

DPM Dar arrives in Istanbul for official engagements

Ishaq Dar also visited the shrine of Hazrat Abu Ayyub Ansari, where he expressed his respect and devotion and prayed for peace and prosperity in Pakistan and among its people, as well as unity in the Muslim Ummah.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the strategic partnership between Pakistan and Türkiye was a guarantee of shared prosperity and security. He said the Makkah Agreement had reaffirmed the strategic brotherhood between the two countries.

He said the agreement had brought Pakistan and Türkiye together with Saudi Arabia and paved the way for strengthening their collective security and defence capabilities.