Pakistan Ratifies Mecca Defense Pact 78 Days After Signing

Pakistan completed its ratification of a tri-nation defense agreement 78 days after the original signing. The Foreign Office confirmed on Friday that Islamabad has finalized the legal steps required to join the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.

Sajjad Haider Khan, a spokesperson for the Foreign Office, stated that both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have finished their respective ratification procedures. He noted that discussions regarding the operational aspects of the pact remain ongoing among the three signatories.

The agreement was signed on August 7 in Mecca by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It establishes a framework for collective defense if any of the three states faces an external armed attack. The specific nature and level of support will be determined based on the circumstances of the conflict.

Turkey is still processing its internal approval mechanisms, meaning the pact has not yet received full ratification from all three governments. Islamabad has characterized the deal as a defensive measure consistent with the United Nations Charter.

Progress toward implementation accelerated following a meeting on October 5 between the Strategic Political and Defence Committee of the three nations. That body called for the rapid deployment of military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia, subject to each country's domestic laws, to fulfill collective defense commitments.

The announcement arrives as Saudi Arabia faces renewed security threats from Yemen's Houthis. Civil Defence authorities issued warnings this week about potential dangers in the southwestern cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait. Officials later indicated the immediate threat had passed but advised residents to avoid gathering or filming in the affected zones.

These alerts coincided with Houthi missile and drone strikes on Saudi infrastructure. Reuters reported on October 21 that Riyadh's allies were primarily providing defensive support to help protect the kingdom's facilities against further attacks.