Pakistan has completed the ratification process for the Mecca Defense Alliance agreement, a joint defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry confirmed on Friday.
– It said the pact establishes a defense alliance aimed at strengthening security through joint deterrence and promoting regional stability, emphasizing that it is not directed against any other country or party.
– Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar held his first meeting in Istanbul on Friday with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan.
– The two ministers reviewed bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional developments, particularly the situation in the Middle East and Palestine.
– They expressed concern over threats to regional stability and stressed the importance of dialogue, diplomacy and coordinated efforts to promote peace and security in the region.
– Both ministers also strongly condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed their commitment to close coordination on regional issues, including within the framework of the Mecca Defense Alliance agreement signed by Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.