Makkah Defence Pact Is Entirely Defensive, PM Shehbaz Tells Cabinet

ISLAMABAD, August 10, 2026: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has defended the newly signed Makkah defence pact, saying the agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye serves only defensive purposes and does not target aggression against any country.

Speaking at a federal cabinet meeting on Monday, Shehbaz said the agreement aims to promote peace, stability and prosperity across the region.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the pact in Makkah on August 7. The agreement strengthens collective deterrence and allows the three countries to treat an attack against one member as an attack against all three.

Shehbaz said the agreement represents a source of strength for the three countries and the wider Muslim world.

He congratulated Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir for their role in finalising the agreement.

Pact Builds on Earlier Defence Ties

Shehbaz said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had already signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement in September 2025.

He added that Pakistan and Turkiye had maintained defence arrangements for decades.

The prime minister also recalled Pakistan’s long-standing role in helping Saudi Arabia protect the holy cities of Makkah and Madina.

He described the latest agreement as another extension of those defence ties.

Colombia Earthquake Leaves at Least 20 Dead as Rescue Teams Search Collapsed Buildings

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also stressed the defensive nature of the pact. He said the agreement does not target any country.

Dar said the provision treating an attack on one member as an attack on all three remains consistent with the right to individual and collective self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has welcomed the agreement as an important strategic development.

Kuwait, Bahrain and Somalia have also welcomed the pact. Iran has responded positively as well, saying it supports regional security mechanisms based on cooperation among countries in the region.

Shehbaz Offers Dialogue to AJK Protesters

The prime minister also discussed the political situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Shehbaz said a future AJK government would continue dialogue with protesters who seek peaceful solutions to their demands.

He warned that the government would not allow groups to create anarchy or disrupt public order.

However, he said people who want to discuss their concerns peacefully would have an opportunity to negotiate.

Shehbaz said political disputes should find solutions through dialogue and constitutional processes.

He also claimed that the government had evidence suggesting that individuals who deliberately escalated tensions in AJK were acting on the directives of an enemy.

The prime minister recalled a multi-party conference held in Muzaffarabad before the AJK elections. He said participants discussed demands concerning seats reserved for refugees from India-held Kashmir.

According to Shehbaz, the government advised those seeking changes to the reserved seats to allow the elections to proceed. He said they could then present their demands before the new assembly.

PML-N Claims Majority in AJK

Shehbaz also welcomed the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s performance in the ongoing AJK elections.

The PML-N has won 24 of the 45 seats so far, according to unofficial results cited in the report.

The party secured nine seats in the first phase from the Mirpur division. It later won 15 seats in the second phase covering the Muzaffarabad division and refugee seats.

The third phase began in the Poonch division on Monday.

Shehbaz said the results from Mirpur and Muzaffarabad, along with the refugee seats, had placed the PML-N close to forming a majority.

He described the vote as a sign of public confidence in Nawaz Sharif’s leadership. He also expressed hope that an incoming PML-N government would focus on development and prosperity in AJK.

PM Vows Continued Action Against Terrorism

The federal cabinet also discussed the security situation in Pakistan.

Shehbaz referred to several recent terrorist attacks and paid tribute to security personnel killed while fighting militants.

He recalled the August 2 suicide bombing in Swat that killed 17 people. He also mentioned the death of Deputy Superintendent of Police Diyar Khan in an attack on a police checkpoint in Hangu.

The prime minister also paid tribute to Captain Hamza Akram and Major Hafiz Ihsan Elahi. Both officers died during operations in Hangu and North Waziristan.

Shehbaz said security forces were continuing operations against militants across the country.

He vowed that the sacrifices of soldiers and police officers would not go in vain. He expressed confidence that Pakistan would eventually overcome terrorism and move towards greater peace and stability.

The cabinet also offered prayers for the martyrs and for PML-N lawmaker Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar, who recently died.