ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed the next steps for their new defense alliance and reviewed regional and international issues during a phone call on Sunday, Sep. 6, as both countries work to implement agreements reached at the alliance's first committee meeting concerning the Makkah Defense Agreement.
According to the Foreign Office, Dar and Prince Faisal also exchanged views on regional and global developments. They discussed matters of shared interest at international and multilateral forums, while also reviewing issues related to cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
The Foreign Office said the phone conversation focused on putting previous agreements into action and maintaining coordination between the two countries. The two ministers agreed to stay in close contact as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye continue working together under the new defence framework.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Defence Agreement on Aug. 7 in Makkah. The agreement states that an armed attack on any one of the three member countries would be considered an attack on all three. The agreement was signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a summit at Al-Safa Palace.
The defense agreement is aimed at strengthening security cooperation among the three countries and creating a framework for a coordinated response to major security threats. The alliance's first Strategic Political and Defense Committee meeting took place in Istanbul on Aug. 31. Foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye represented their respective countries at the meeting.
Islamabad has indicated that other countries in the region could join the framework if they agree to follow its basic principles. The latest discussion between Dar and Prince Faisal comes as the three countries move toward implementing the commitments made under the Makkah Defence Agreement. Their continued communication among the member states is expected to help coordinate future steps under the alliance.
