The Makkah Pact: A New Era of Islamic Military Cooperation

Prominent Pakistani politicians and diplomatic analysts this week welcomed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Islamabad, Riyadh and Ankara, describing it as a “historic development” amid regional tensions triggered by the United States (US) and Iran war.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the defence pact on Friday in Makkah. The pact stipulates that an attack on any one country will be considered an attack on all three. Pakistan’s foreign office said the agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defence cooperation among the three states.

Bipartisan Acclaim in Pakistan

Former foreign minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari described the pact as an “important milestone” in the country’s history. “The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement is a historic development that will further strengthen our defence capabilities,” Bhutto-Zardari said in a statement on social media platform X on Saturday. “The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement is a guarantee of a stable and secure future for Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye.” He also described it as a “historic document” for regional peace.

Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazal) political party, said the pact was an important step toward forging unity within the Muslim Ummah. “The establishment of a joint defence capability for the Muslim world has always been our aspiration,” Rehman said in a statement issued by his party. “Other Muslim countries should also become part of the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-Türkiye defence agreement”.

Prominent politician and former senator Mushahid Hussain Syed lauded the agreement as well. “This defence pact is a welcome & timely development at a crucial moment of turbulence & transformation,” Syed wrote on social media platform X on Friday. “This is the first Pan-Islamic military institutional initiative among 3 key Muslim countries, independent of the West,” he added. Syed said the agreement was a welcome development for Pakistan’s security in the context of an emerging “India-Israel nexus,” which he said had the backing of some other regional countries.

International Analysts Weigh In

Michael Kugelman, senior South Asia fellow at the Atlantic Council, said the defence pact is a “logical outgrowth” of the deepening defence ties between the three states in recent months. “The deal further entrenches Pakistan in the evolving security architecture of the Mideast-following the Pak-KSA pact & Pakistan’s recent efforts to strengthen security ties with other Mideast heavyweights, especially Egypt and Jordan,” he said on social media platform X. “Pakistan’s strategic cachet is on the rise in the Mideast”.

Former Pakistani diplomat Asif Durrani said the pact is the “first concrete building block of an emerging regional security architecture for South and West Asia.” “If this momentum continues, it could open the door to addressing decades-old conflicts, including the enduring Palestinian issue, through a more regionally driven approach,” Durrani wrote on X.

A New Chapter in Regional Security

The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement represents a significant departure from traditional security arrangements in the region. For the first time, three major Muslim-majority nations have formalized a collective defence mechanism independent of Western military alliances. The pact comes at a time of heightened regional tensions, particularly following the escalation of hostilities between the US and Iran, which have raised concerns about broader instability in the Gulf and beyond.

The agreement also signals a deepening of strategic ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, which have historically enjoyed close relations, and Turkey, which has emerged as a key regional power broker. The pact's emphasis on collective deterrence suggests that the three nations are seeking to project strength and unity in an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape.

As the agreement moves toward implementation, questions remain about its operational scope and the mechanisms for coordinating joint defence efforts. The pact's open invitation to other Muslim countries to join suggests that it could serve as the foundation for a broader Islamic defence alliance, potentially reshaping the security architecture of South and West Asia.

The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement has been hailed as a historic milestone by Pakistani political leaders and analysts alike. Whether it will fulfill its promise of enhanced regional stability and collective security remains to be seen, but its signing marks a significant step toward a more integrated and self-reliant defence posture for the three nations.