Pakistan, Türkiye Discuss Defence Cooperation Ahead of Makkah Pact Meeting
Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, met Türkiye’s National Defence Minister Yaşar Güler in Istanbul on Monday as senior officials prepared for the first meeting under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defence shared details of the meeting on social media, including footage of the two defence officials meeting in Istanbul.
Pakistan and Türkiye Discuss Military Cooperation
Türkiye’s defence minister also held a separate meeting with Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, with Turkish Chief of General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu also present.
According to Radio Pakistan, discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between Pakistan and Türkiye in the defence sector and enhancing coordination on regional security matters.
The meetings took place ahead of the inaugural session of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee, established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement involving Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan Delegation for Trilateral Meeting
Pakistan is being represented at the meeting by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and CDF Asim Munir.
The Foreign Office said Pakistan’s participation reflects its longstanding relations with Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, as well as its interest in promoting regional peace and stability.
The meeting is considered an important initial step toward developing a structured framework for cooperation among the three countries.
Defence and Industry Cooperation on Agenda
The trilateral discussions are expected to cover several areas, including strengthening defence capabilities, improving coordination between the armed forces and expanding cooperation in the defence industry.
The participants are also expected to discuss the proposed structure of a secretariat and other mechanisms needed to support the agreement.
A roadmap for future cooperation could also be developed during the meeting.
Makkah Defence Agreement
Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7.
Under the agreement, an armed attack against one member is to be treated as an attack against all three countries.
The latest high-level meetings are expected to help determine how the agreement will be implemented and how the three countries will coordinate their future defence and strategic cooperation.
