Pakistan Completes Ratification of Three-Nation Mecca Defence Pact

Pakistan completed its ratification of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on Friday, joining Saudi Arabia in finalizing the three-nation security deal.

Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan confirmed that Islamabad and Riyadh have both finished their respective legal procedures. Khan stated that discussions regarding the agreement's operationalization remain active among the three parties.

The pact, signed on 7 August in Mecca by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, mandates collective defense against external armed attacks. The terms specify that the level of assistance provided will depend on the specific circumstances of any conflict.

Turkey has not yet completed its domestic approval process, meaning the agreement does not yet hold full legal force across all three signatories. A Strategic Political and Defence Committee meeting on 5 October pushed for the rapid deployment of military forces to Saudi Arabia if required, subject to each nation's internal laws.

The ratification occurs as Saudi Arabia faces renewed pressure from Yemen's Houthis. Civil Defence authorities issued warnings about potential dangers in Abha and Khamis Mushait earlier this week before declaring the threat passed. These alerts followed Houthi missile and drone strikes reported on 21 October, which prompted Riyadh to seek defensive support from allies to protect its infrastructure.

Regional tensions remain high as the Israeli military conducts large-scale exercises in the north and center of the country this weekend. The drills involve air force units and ground forces rehearsing surprise attacks and infiltration scenarios to test readiness for multi-front defense.

These military preparations coincide with reports that Washington and Tel Aviv are planning fresh strikes against Iran following the US midterm elections on 3 November. President Trump stated on Friday that the United States might carry out another operation as the conflict approaches its eighth month, with potential targets including Iranian energy and nuclear facilities.