Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan sign mutual defence pact as they look beyond US for security

On Friday, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed a mutual defense agreement in Ankara. The pact establishes that an act of aggression against any one of the three nations will be treated as an attack on all of them. A joint statement confirmed the signing, though it did not specify the exact nature of the military obligations required by the signatories in the event of an attack.

The agreement solidifies cooperation between the three regional powers amid rising security concerns. The structure of the mutual defense commitment has been noted for its resemblance to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which serves as the foundation for the NATO alliance. The pact represents a strategic shift as these nations seek to bolster regional security independently of the United States.