JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye plan to sign a joint defense agreement Friday in Jeddah. Regional sources with direct knowledge told Reuters about the planned Saudi defense pact.
Meanwhile, a Turkish official confirmed the signing, although the three governments have not published its terms. Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman will host the meeting in the Red Sea city.
Also, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend, Reuters said. Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief and chief of defence forces, accompanied Sharif.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Sharif’s official Saudi visit from August 6 through August 8. However, the ministry’s Thursday briefing mentioned bilateral relations and regional developments but did not name the pact.
The Saudi Press Agency also reported Sharif’s Thursday arrival at King Abdulaziz International Airport. Deputy Makkah Governor Prince Saud bin Mishaal received him at the airport.
In addition, Saudi Environment Minister Abdulrahman Alfadley and both countries’ ambassadors attended the reception.
Read: Pakistan Army Reaffirms Support for Saudi Defence Capacity Building
Yet, the governments announced no precise time for Friday’s leaders’ meeting or signing ceremony. Reuters said negotiations continued for nearly one year before the planned signing.
Still, each country’s commitments remained unclear when the agency published its report Friday. Saudi and Pakistani authorities had not separately confirmed the event, Reuters added.
Read: Turkey-Saudi-Pakistan Defense Pact Signals New Security Shift
Previously, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed their Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement on September 17, 2025. The official joint statement says aggression against either country will count as aggression against both.
Moreover, the bilateral agreement aims to strengthen joint deterrence and expand defence cooperation. Reuters previously reported that a Saudi official described the commitment as covering all military means.
The planned Saudi defence pact would expand existing Pakistan-Saudi defence cooperation through Türkiye’s participation.
In January, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan supported a broader regional security platform. He said such a framework should promote regional cooperation and stability.
However, the three parties have not explained how the new agreement would operate. They also have not identified command structures, funding arrangements or activation rules.
Read: Saudi Pakistan Defence Pact May Add Turkiye, Qatar
Furthermore, officials have not announced any parliamentary approval or ratification process. Reuters also noted Türkiye’s NATO membership in its report on the planned deal.
In addition, the agency identified Pakistan as the only Muslim-majority country possessing nuclear weapons. The report linked the pact’s timing to the Iran war and growing Gulf security concerns.
Meanwhile, the conflict has disrupted oil and goods shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. As a result, regional governments face stronger pressure to protect shipping and energy routes.
The planned agreement also follows expanding Türkiye-Pakistan relations in defence and diplomacy. However, the unpublished terms leave the pact’s precise scope uncertain.
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye have not announced a joint news conference. Nor have they issued a shared statement outlining the agreement’s obligations.
