By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has rejected what it described as speculative reporting by Reuters about the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, reiterating that Islamabad’s commitment to the security of Saudi Arabia and Islam’s two holiest sites is “non-negotiable.”

In a fact-check issued Tuesday, the ministry said Pakistan had already made its commitment to the security of the Haramain Sharifain - the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah - and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia clear.

The ministry said operational details concerning the implementation of the agreement’s collective deterrence arrangements were confidential and should not become the subject of media speculation.

“Operational details of the actualisation of the collective deterrence are a matter of operational confidentiality,” the ministry said.

The ministry urged media organizations to avoid reports based on unidentified or non-attributable sources, saying official statements from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry and other relevant authorities should be used to establish confirmed details.

It specifically criticized reports containing what it called “invented numbers and details,” and advised Reuters to direct questions about the agreement to the relevant Pakistani authorities.

The statement comes amid increased international attention on the Makkah Defence Agreement after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye agreed at an emergency meeting in Riyadh on Oct. 5 to move toward implementing their collective defence commitments and ensuring the rapid deployment of agreed military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia.

The three countries said the implementation would take place under approved arrangements and in accordance with their respective national laws. 

The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye in Makkah on Aug. 7. It states that an armed attack against one of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against all three, while emphasizing collective security and defence cooperation.

Pakistan has described the agreement as defensive in nature and not directed against any particular country.

The latest dispute over reporting comes as Saudi Arabia faces heightened security tensions linked to attacks by Yemen’s Houthi terrorist group, including attacks involving missiles and drones. The three Makkah pact members have condemned attacks against Saudi territory and the holy sites.