Makkah Defence Pact Meeting in Saudi Arabia Next Week to Focus on Houthi Attacks: FM Dar
Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia to review regional security situation under trilateral defence agreement
ISLAMABAD: (News Pulse) Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said that an emergency meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA) between Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia will be held next week in Riyadh to review the recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Speaking during a media briefing on Friday, Dar said the meeting would assess the prevailing situation in Saudi Arabia and discuss an appropriate course of action under the Makkah Accord.
“The full meeting of the Strategic Political Defence Committee will soon be held in Riyadh, and the current ground realities, particularly the situation in Saudi Arabia, will be examined under the Makkah Accord,” the foreign minister said.
He added that any decision taken by the committee would be made public after the meeting was finalised and attended by the participating countries.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye formally signed the MJDA on August 7, establishing a trilateral security framework focused on collective defence, military cooperation and regional stability.
Turning to Pakistan’s diplomatic engagements at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dar said the Pakistani delegation held extensive meetings with world leaders and participated in several international forums during the high-level week from September 21 to 25.
He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif used his UNGA address to present Pakistan’s position on major regional and international issues, including Palestine, Jammu and Kashmir, terrorism and the conflict between the United States and Iran.
According to Dar, the prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s longstanding position on Palestine and highlighted Islamabad’s stance on Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in the context of the 2025 conflict with India and concerns over cross-border terrorism.
The premier also highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to facilitate dialogue between Washington and Tehran, Dar said.
The foreign minister recalled that Pakistan had played a role in bringing the United States and Iran to the negotiating table after decades of tensions. He said talks were held in Istanbul on April 10 and 11, comprising six sessions over 21 hours, before an agreement was signed on June 18.
Dar said Prime Minister Shehbaz also drew international attention to the impact of developments around the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, particularly their consequences for ordinary people and global prices.
He said the government had approved relief measures for the public despite financial constraints and the limitations imposed by the International Monetary Fund programme.
The prime minister also highlighted the losses Pakistan had suffered as a result of terrorism originating from Afghanistan and threats emanating from its territory, Dar added.
He said Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts concerning the US-Iran conflict and developments involving Saudi Arabia were also presented before the international community.
Describing the prime minister’s UNGA speech as a comprehensive presentation of Pakistan’s position on major regional and global issues, Dar said the address received repeated rounds of applause during the session.