Pakistan's top diplomat on Sunday said that the trilateral Mecca defense agreement, signed last week by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, is "purely" defensive in nature and not targeted against any country.
In a statement posted on US social media company X, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the sole purpose of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is to further strengthen joint ongoing efforts towards peace, stability, and prosperity in the wider region.
The agreement, signed by the three countries on Friday in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, treats an attack on any one of the countries as an attack on all three.
Dar said the defense pact remains open to any country in the region willing to uphold its fundamental principles and resolve differences through "mutual respect, cooperation and peaceful means."
He reiterated that according to the accord, any external armed attack on any one of the three countries will be considered an attack on all, consistent with the inherent right of individual and collective self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
The pact, he added, does not abrogate or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between these countries, or with other countries or organizations.
The Mecca accord "is the culmination of years of discussions and coordination, with a common desire to strengthen strategic cooperation in addressing multifarious peace and security challenges and advancing regional peace, stability and prosperity," Dar added.
The pact is consistent with the fundamental pillars of Pakistan's foreign policy, and Islamabad looks forward to continuing to work closely with all brotherly countries in the region towards lasting peace and stability, he said.
"We remain committed to advancing the cause of peaceful resolution of all conflicts and building a more secure, stable and prosperous future for our peoples," said Dar.
