Makkah Defence pact wins broad political backing 

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari welcomed the agreement, saying it would enhance Pakistan’s defence capabilities while contributing

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Makkah Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye has received broad political support, with major leaders describing the trilateral arrangement as a landmark step toward stronger collective security among Muslim countries.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari welcomed the agreement, saying it would enhance Pakistan’s defence capabilities while contributing to regional stability and international peace. He also praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir for their role in finalising the pact.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also described the agreement as an important development for Muslim unity. He said the arrangement could evolve into a broader collective security framework and called on other Islamic countries to join the initiative.

Fazlur Rehman said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had the potential to play a leading role in strengthening cooperation among Muslim states, adding that a unified defence mechanism had long been part of his party’s political vision.

Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman likewise endorsed the pact, saying greater cooperation could reduce Pakistan’s reliance on hostile powers. He proposed expanding the arrangement to include Qatar, Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The leaders’ statements reflect growing political support for the Pakistan-Saudi-Türkiye security partnership, with calls emerging for it to develop into a wider alliance capable of promoting collective defence and stability across the Muslim world.