Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia to hold inaugural meeting of strategic defense committee
By The South Asia Times
ISTANBUL - Senior political and military officials from Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia to meet in Istanbul on Monday for the inaugural meeting of a new Strategic Political and Defence Committee established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
Pakistan will be represented at the meeting by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, according to Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.
The meeting brings together the foreign and defence ministers as well as chiefs of general staff from the three countries, providing a new high-level platform for political and military consultations.
Islamabad said Pakistan's participation reflects its longstanding relations with Türkiye and Saudi Arabia and its stated commitment to promoting lasting regional peace and stability.
The inaugural gathering of the committee comes as the three countries seek to strengthen coordination on political, defence and security matters amid evolving regional challenges.
Ahead of the meeting, Dar held talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Istanbul.
The two ministers expressed satisfaction with what they described as the continued expansion of Pakistan-Türkiye relations across political, economic, security and cultural areas.
They also reviewed progress under the Pakistan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) and agreed on the early convening of the council's next session.
Dar and Fidan also exchanged views on regional and international developments and reaffirmed their commitment to working closely to promote regional peace and stability.
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement provides the framework for the new Strategic Political and Defence Committee and marks an effort to institutionalise closer coordination among Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.
The inaugural meeting in Istanbul is expected to set the foundation for future consultations under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, although further details on the committee's agenda and future activities were not immediately disclosed by Islamabad.
