Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan to Hold First Defence Pact Meeting

Senior officials from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan are scheduled to convene in Istanbul on Monday, August 31, 2026, for the first committee meeting under their newly established joint defence pact. The meeting marks the initial step in operationalizing the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which the three nations signed on August 7, 2026.

The gathering will bring together foreign and defence ministers, along with the chiefs of staff from each country. According to Turkish diplomatic sources, the talks will be chaired by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yaşar Güler, and Chief of General Staff Gen. Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu. Pakistan is sending Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. Saudi Arabia will be represented by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Chief of General Staff Gen. Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili.

The committee, formally called the Strategic Political and Defense Committee, will address international security issues. Discussions are expected to focus on...