Pakistan and Saudi Arabia complete ratification process for Makkah defence agreement: FO

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have completed their respective ratification processes for the Makkah Joint Defence

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have completed their respective ratification processes for the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, while Türkiye is seeking parliamentary approval for the pact, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on Friday.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the agreement reflects the commitment of Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia to collective defence and regional security. He added that there were no secret provisions in the agreement beyond the text that had become publicly available.

The spokesperson said Pakistan recognised the draft of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement that had been made public. He also confirmed that each country follows its own procedure for ratifying the agreement.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have completed their respective processes, while Türkiye is pursuing ratification through its parliament, the spokesperson said.

He further explained that the agreement was designed to promote collective defence, strengthen deterrence and safeguard regional security. Its provisions were not directed against any third country, but were intended to enable the three nations to respond collectively to external aggression.

Under the agreement, the three countries would deliberate together in the event of external aggression and decide on an appropriate response following mutual consultations, according to the Foreign Office.

The spokesperson’s remarks came amid growing regional security concerns and efforts by Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia to strengthen defence cooperation. The agreement has emerged as an important framework for coordination among the three countries on shared security challenges.

The Foreign Office maintained that the pact was intended to support regional stability through collective security arrangements rather than target any particular state.

Separately, the spokesperson said the Foreign Office did not have ground-level information regarding reports about the closure of the Pakistan-Iran border.