3 weeks ago

Pakistan PM Sharif home after Pakistan-Saudi-Turkiye defence pact

Pakistan's leader, Shehbaz Sharif, took a three-day trip to Saudi Arabia.

During the trip, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed a special defence agreement.

The agreement says that if someone attacks one of the three countries, it counts as an attack on all three.

That means the countries have promised to help protect each other if there is trouble.

The leaders signed the agreement in Mecca, a very important holy city for Muslims.

The signing happened while there is a lot of tension and conflict in West Asia.

A former Pakistani minister said the deal shows the three countries want to work together more on defence.

He also said people should not think the agreement is meant to be against Iran.

Pakistan is also trying to help the United States and Iran talk to each other to avoid fighting.

Key facts

Event: Joint trilateral defence agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye
Signatories: Shehbaz Sharif, Mohammed bin Salman, Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Location: Al-Safa Palace, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Key provision: An armed attack on any one country is regarded as an attack on all three
Visit: Three-day official visit by Sharif to Saudi Arabia
Previous pact: Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia (2025)
Context: Widened conflict in West Asia, including the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait
Mediation role: Pakistan says it is doing its utmost to bring the US and Iran back to negotiations

theprint.in · 3 weeks ago