Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have completed the ratification process for the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, while Turkiye is undertaking the necessary steps in line with its own legal framework. Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan confirmed the position at a weekly press briefing, as Turkiye submitted the agreement to its parliament for approval — a move that brought the text of the agreement into the public domain for the first time.

What the pact says

Under Article 2 of the agreement, an external armed attack against any one party is to be considered an attack against all parties. Khan dismissed the notion that there might be undisclosed clauses, saying: "There are no secret clauses. The provisions and terms of the agreement are clear and explicit." He explained that the agreement is defensive in nature and aligns with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, and that it is not directed at any specific country. The nature and scope of any assistance provided would be determined collectively by the three nations, following an objective assessment of the prevailing circumstances.

What happens next

The agreement was signed on 7 August 2026 by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah. Matters concerning ratification and implementation remain under discussion among the three parties, including through the Strategic Political and Defence Committee, which last met on 5 October. Islamabad has not yet released the text itself; Khan said every nation follows its own constitutional and legal procedures for approving international agreements. Parliamentary consideration in Turkiye was expected around 27 October, although the process could extend beyond that date.