Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye have agreed to begin putting their collective defence commitments into practice following an emergency meeting in Riyadh on 5 October. The three countries said they would take steps to provide agreed military forces and capabilities for rapid deployment to Saudi Arabia.
The decision is set out in a joint statement published by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Türkiye’s foreign ministry and the Saudi Press Agency also published the statement. It says any deployment must follow agreed arrangements and each country’s national laws. It gives no number of personnel, deployment date, or confirmation that forces have already arrived.
Why the committee met
The three governments said the emergency meeting of the Makkah Alliance for Defense was called to discuss threats facing Saudi Arabia. Their statement condemned what they described as attempts to target Makkah and Madinah, as well as continuing attacks on Saudi cities and civilian and economic facilities. It did not identify those responsible for the attempted attacks in that passage.
Pakistan and Türkiye praised the Saudi armed forces’ response to the threats. The committee said it had reviewed earlier political and military consultations and approved recommendations on how to advance the alliance’s joint defence arrangements.
Alliance names its first secretary-general
The committee also appointed retired Pakistani Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood as the alliance’s first secretary-general for a three-year term. According to the joint statement, the three countries regard the security of each member as part of their shared security.
The announcement marks a move from a defense agreement toward preparations for a possible deployment. The practical scale and timing of that move remain unclear from the information the governments have released.
