Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has announced that the Strategic Political Defence Committee will convene shortly in Riyadh. This group operates under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, a security pact recently established between Pakistan,Türkiye, and Saudi Arabia.
The 'Attack on One' Clause of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed in August by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, establishes a rigorous mutual security framework. According to the report, the pact explicitly stipulates that any attack directed at one of the three signatory states will be treated as an attack against all parties involved.
To manage this alliance, the Strategic Political Defence Committee has been formed, consisting of nine high-level officials. Each member nation contributes three representatives: their respective foreign ministers, defence ministers, and chiefs of General Staff. This structure ensures that diplomatic, strategic, and operational military leadership are aligned in the event of a regional crisis.
From New York to Riyadh: The September Diplomatic Blitz
The upcoming meeting in the Saudi capital follows a series of high-intensity diplomatic engagements. as the source reported, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Türkiye, and Saudi Arabia met in New York on September 24, while the three nations' military chifs held a special session in Riyadh on September 25.
This rapid succession of meetings suggests an urgency to operationalize the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement. By coordinating across both civilian and military channels in two different gllobal hubs within 48 hours, the three nations are signaling a desire to move the pact from a symbolic document to a functional security apparatus.
Houthi Blockades and the Bab al Mandab Strait
The timing of this alliance is critical given the deteriorating security situation in Yemen. Since early July, conrfontations between the Houthis and Yemen's internationally recognized government have intensified. The Houthis have not only targeted Saudi Aramco facilities and military sites but have also attempted to strike the holy cities of Mecca and Medina on three occasions over the last nine years.
Strategically, the Houthis' recent seizure of the Red Sea coast and the Bab al Mandab Strait has shifted the regional power balance. This control is particularly vital as the wider conflict between the United States and Iran continues to choke the Strait of Hormuz, making the Bab al Mandab a primary artery for global trade and military movement.
Ishaq Dar's Dialogue with Iran on Houthi Engagement
Amidst this military buildup, Pakistan is attempting to balance its security obligations with regional diplomacy. foreign Minister Ishaq Dar recently met with Iranian officials in New York, where the Iranian side suggested that the Houthis should be engaged through political means rather than military force.
While acknoweldging the Iranian perspective , Dar reportedly sensitized the Iranian delegation regarding the trilateral pact signed in Mecca. dar emphasized that as Muslim nations, the signatories must honor the agreement, suggesting that Pakistan views the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement as a non-negotiable commitment regardless of Iranian diplomatic preferences.
Will the Committee Define 'Attack' in the Face of Houthi Drone Strikes?
Despite the clarity of the "attack on all" clause, several operational questions remain. The source does not specify whether the agreement distinguishes between state-sponsored aggression and asymmetric attacks by non-state actors like the Houthis. It remains unclear if a drone strike on a Saudi power station would trigger a mandatory military response from Pakistani or Turkish forces.
Furthermore, the report focuses on the Pakistani and Saudi perspectives, leaving the specific strategic goals of Türkiye within this trilateral framework largely unexamined. Whether the alliance is intended as a deterrent against Iran or a tool for policing the Red Sea remains a point of speculation.
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