Turkey ratifies historic defence pact with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia

Turkey’s parliament has ratified a joint defence agreement between Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, marking a significant step towards strengthening trilateral security cooperation in the region.

According to Turkish media, the agreement secured 279 votes in favour and 119 against in the 600-member Turkish parliament. A total of 398 lawmakers participated in the voting process.

The chairman of the Turkish parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee said the agreement was entirely defensive in nature. He clarified that the alliance was not aimed at attacking any other country but was intended to strengthen mutual defence and security cooperation.

Ziya Altunyaldiz, a member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), said the agreement aimed to promote security cooperation across the region. He emphasised the importance of closer coordination among the three countries to address shared security challenges.

The ratification is an important development in relations between Ankara, Islamabad and Riyadh. It reflects their shared interest in strengthening defence ties and expanding cooperation on regional security matters.

Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed the joint defence agreement in Makkah on August 7. The signing ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The agreement is expected to provide a framework for closer defence coordination among the three countries while reinforcing their commitment to regional stability and mutual security.