New Delhi: The Houthi threat is putting Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye’s new defence pact under the spotlight as the three countries bring their top political and military officials together in Riyadh on Monday. The strategic political and defence committee (SPDC), set up under the Defence Alliance, will review the latest regional developments and ongoing cooperation between the three countries.
The Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar; defence minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif; and the Pakistan Army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, are attending the meeting. Saudi Arabia and Turkiye will also be represented by their foreign and defence ministers and chiefs of general staff, making it the first major high-level review of the pact amid the latest regional security concerns.
Why the Riyadh meeting matters
The meeting comes days after Houthi attacks involving Saudi Arabia raised fresh questions over the security challenges facing the kingdom. Although Pakistan’s latest official statement does not specifically mention the Houthis, the attacks have added urgency to discussions over how the three countries will translate their new defence commitment into practical security coordination.
The Makkah agreement includes a collective-defence commitment under which an attack on one member is to be treated as an attack on all. The three countries have already begun building mechanisms to implement the pact, with their military chiefs meeting in Riyadh last week to discuss intelligence sharing, coordination and collective defence.
As RNA Media reported earlier, Pakistan’s retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood has been appointed the alliance’s first secretary general and is tasked with helping establish its secretariat in Saudi Arabia. The institutional groundwork is now moving alongside high-level discussions on the region’s rapidly changing security environment.
Dar reaches Riyadh after Madinah visit
Dar arrived in Madinah before proceeding to Riyadh for the SPDC meeting. He paid respects at Roza-e-Rasool and visited Jabal Uhud, where he offered prayers for Pakistan, its people, the Muslim Ummah and regional peace and stability.
He has since reached Riyadh to join Asif and Field Marshal Munir, alongside their Saudi and Turkish counterparts. The discussions will focus officially on regional developments and cooperation under the Makkah agreement, with the outcome likely to offer further clues about how the three countries intend to operationalize their new defence partnership.