Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir and Saudi Arabia's new envoy to Pakistan, Dr Rajeh Tami Albugamy, expressed satisfaction with progress under the Pakistan Saudi defence pact, the military's media wing said on Monday. The arrangement behind the Pakistan Saudi defence pact is formally called the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, a trilateral framework that also includes Turkiye and is aimed at collective deterrence. The two men met at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, where they discussed mutual interests and regional security.
What the two sides said
Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR), the military's media wing, said in a statement that Albugamy called on Munir at GHQ. According to the statement, both sides welcomed the progress made under the Makkah framework and stressed the need for stronger defence collaboration, institutional links and strategic coordination. Albugamy had taken up his duties in Islamabad the previous Thursday.
Munir congratulated the envoy on his appointment and said he expected Albugamy's tenure to strengthen the long-standing ties between Islamabad and Riyadh, which he described as “rooted in shared faith, mutual trust and strategic partnership.” Earlier, the envoy had met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan's support for Saudi Arabia in protecting its “sovereignty, security and territorial integrity” amid a recent escalation in Houthi attacks. Dar highlighted the long-standing fraternal ties and a shared aim of closer bilateral cooperation.
Two pacts and the Houthi backdrop
Islamabad and Riyadh have signed two defence pacts meant to build collective deterrence. The first is the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement between the two countries. The second is the Makkah Joint Defence Alliance, which also includes Turkiye. Deterrence means discouraging an attack by making the cost of aggression clear.
The Makkah pact was signed on Aug 7 and allows its signatory states to treat an attack on one of them as an attack on all of them. Earlier this month, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye held an emergency meeting under the Makkah alliance and agreed to move military forces and capabilities into the kingdom quickly. The statement did not name any threat, but the development came against the backdrop of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, carried out by Yemen's Houthi rebels. In an interview aired on Sunday, the military's spokesman said Pakistan is providing “whatever support is needed” to defend Saudi Arabia.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Aug 7: The Makkah defence pact is signed, aiming to strengthen collective deterrence among its signatories.
- Earlier this month: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye hold an emergency meeting under the Makkah alliance and agree to deploy forces and capabilities rapidly to the kingdom.
- Last week: Albugamy meets Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad.
- Sunday: The military's spokesman says in an interview that Pakistan will provide “whatever support is needed” to defend Saudi Arabia.
- Monday: Albugamy calls on CDF Munir at GHQ in Rawalpindi, and ISPR issues a statement on progress under the Makkah pact.
The statement did not set out any next meeting or deployment steps.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Naye Saudi rajdoot Dr Rajeh Tami Albugamy ne Rawalpindi mein CDF Asim Munir se mulaqat ki aur dono taraf ne Makkah defence pact ki pesh raft par itminaan zahir kiya. Is muahiday mein Pakistan, Saudi Arabia aur Turkiye shamil hain, jis ka maqsad kisi bhi hamle ko roknay ke liye mil kar kaam karna hai. Houthi hamlon ke pas manzar mein Pakistan ne Saudi Arabia ki hifazat ke liye “jo bhi madad darkar ho” ki yaqeen dihani ki hai. Aam shehri ke liye rozmarra zindagi mein fori tabdeeli ka koi elaan nahi hua.
