NewzThe Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Saturday welcomed the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement among Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan. OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha expressed his “strong appreciation and support” for the agreement, describing it as an “important strategic step” reflecting the three countries’ commitment to strengthening regional and international cooperation, according to a statement by the organisation. Taha said the agreement constituted “a fundamental pillar for supporting security and stability in the region and across the Muslim world.” He added that it embodied a shared determination to address growing security challenges and strengthen solidarity and constructive partnerships among OIC member states.
#OIC Secretary-General Welcomes the Mecca Agreement on Joint Defense between #saudiarabia, #Pakistan and #Türkiye pic.twitter.com/R2CuclSGJP — OIC (@OIC_OCI) August 7, 2026 The OIC chief also praised the efforts and leadership of the three countries that culminated in the signing of what he called a “historic agreement.” He expressed hope that the pact would contribute to achieving peace and prosperity in the region and the wider international community. On Friday, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a joint defence agreement at a trilateral summit in Makkah, pledging to strengthen collective security, deepen defence cooperation and promote peace and stability in the region and beyond. Read: Inside the Makkah defence pact and its regional implications The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the summit held at Al-Safa Palace.
According to information obtained from Turkish officials, the agreement is a defence-oriented cooperation arrangement that targets no country and is designed to strengthen commitments to regional and global peace, stability and prosperity through burden-sharing and a common security approach. The agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three countries shall be regarded as an attack against them all, the officials added. The year was 2019, and Pakistan found itself trapped in one of the most delicate diplomatic balancing acts in its recent history.
Two of its closest strategic partners Saudi Arabia and Turkiye had drifted onto opposite sides of an expanding geopolitical divide. Islamabad ultimately withdrew from the Kuala Lumpur Summit after Riyadh viewed the gathering as an attempt to establish a parallel Islamic bloc outside the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would later publicly reveal that Pakistan had pulled out under Saudi pressure, warning that refusal could have carried serious economic consequences.
Seven years later, the geopolitical landscape looks dramatically different. On Friday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formally signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, establishing a trilateral security framework that commits the three countries to collective defence while significantly expanding military cooperation. The accord builds on the Pakistan-Saudi Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed in September 2025, under which an attack on one member is regarded as an attack on all.
The symbolism could hardly be more striking. The same countries that only a few years ago were competing for leadership and influence across the Muslim world have now chosen strategic cooperation over rivalry. While ideological differences and regional competition once defined their relationship, shifting geopolitical realities have compelled them to think collectively about their security.
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