Lieutenant General (retd) Nauman Mahmood has been appointed the first secretary general of the Makkah Defence Alliance, a joint defence framework involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. The Foreign Office announced the appointment on Wednesday.
The appointment marks the establishment of the alliance’s general secretariat, which will be based in Riyadh. The secretary general will lead the secretariat and oversee its work as the three countries develop the alliance’s institutional structure.
The Foreign Office said the secretary general would head the general secretariat being established in the Saudi capital. The appointment places a retired Pakistani military officer at the centre of the alliance’s initial administrative and organisational setup.
The Makkah Defence Alliance was established through a joint defence agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in Makkah on August 7, 2026. The agreement was signed by the countries’ leaders alongside their foreign and defence ministers.
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The agreement brings the three countries together under a framework focused on defence cooperation. Its formation followed discussions between Islamabad, Riyadh and Ankara on strengthening coordination in security and defence-related matters.
Nauman Mahmood previously served in the Pakistan Army and retired with the rank of lieutenant general. His appointment as the first secretary general gives him responsibility for leading the newly established secretariat and coordinating its institutional operations.
The creation of the Riyadh-based secretariat is an important administrative step in developing the Makkah Defence Alliance. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye will now work through the secretariat as they establish mechanisms for cooperation under the joint defence framework.
