The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement aims to defend Saudi Arabia and strengthen regional stability, Director General ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said. He stressed that Pakistan remains committed to the agreement’s defence objectives.
Speaking in an interview with a US broadcaster, the military spokesperson said Pakistani armed forces had been present in Saudi Arabia for several decades. He noted that Pakistani personnel had served in different capacities and areas of expertise in the Kingdom.
Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was not an alliance formed suddenly. He explained that its implementation would have defence-related implications, while operational commanders would decide how the agreement would be used and which troops might be deployed.
The DG ISPR described the agreement as a framework intended to support regional peace and stability. He said its implementation would encourage potential actors to reconsider actions that could undermine security. He added that the agreement was not designed to label any country as a friend or enemy.
Reiterating its primary purpose, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the agreement was intended to defend Saudi Arabia and that Pakistan would fulfil this objective. He did not provide specific details about troop deployments or the operational arrangements that might follow its implementation.
Discussing the conflict involving Iran and the United States, the military spokesperson said Pakistan would continue efforts to support an end to hostilities and encourage an agreement. He said Islamabad wanted differences to be reduced through negotiations and a peaceful solution that would prevent the conflict from spreading further.
Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry also said Pakistan had played an important role in efforts to secure a ceasefire between Iran and the United States while maintaining a neutral position. He stressed that Pakistan’s interests lay in regional peace and stability, adding that further escalation would benefit no one.
