Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are set to sign a joint defence pact on Friday, strengthening military cooperation as escalating regional security challenges reshape strategic alliances across the Middle East and neighbouring regions.
The agreement, confirmed by Turkish officials, follows months of negotiations and comes as heightened tensions after exchanges of attacks involving Iran, the United States and Israel have exposed security vulnerabilities across the Gulf and reinforced the need for closer regional defence coordination.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, are expected to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah to formalise the pact.
While the agreement is expected to deepen defence cooperation among the three countries, officials have not disclosed the specific commitments or obligations each nation will undertake under the arrangement.
The partnership brings together three of the Muslim world’s most influential military and political powers. Turkey is a NATO member with a well-developed defence industry, Saudi Arabia is a leading Gulf power and one of the world’s largest oil exporters, while Pakistan remains the only Muslim-majority country possessing nuclear weapons.
The pact follows nearly a year of negotiations and comes as recent regional conflicts have disrupted commercial shipping and energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, heightening concerns over maritime security, energy supplies and broader regional stability.
Earlier this year, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Ankara supports the creation of a broader regional security framework aimed at strengthening cooperation and preserving stability among countries across the region.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan already maintain a long-standing defence arrangement under which an attack on either country is regarded as an attack on the other, with provisions for military cooperation using all available means.
Neither the Pakistani government nor the country’s military immediately commented on the new pact, while Saudi authorities also declined to issue an immediate statement on the agreement.
Goodness Anunobi
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