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Pakistan says six to seven more Muslim-majority countries are interested in joining the Mecca Defence Pact signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar disclosed the information on Monday ahead of a meeting of the top diplomats of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye in Istanbul.
According to Bloomberg, Dar previously said in a speech in the United Kingdom that work was underway to establish a framework to facilitate the accession of other countries to the pact. He did not disclose the names of the interested countries.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Mecca Defence Pact on August 7. Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be considered an attack against all three.
Bangladesh has reportedly become the latest country to express interest in joining the pact. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had earlier said that Egypt and other countries in the region could also be brought under the mutual defence agreement.
Dar is in Istanbul to attend the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee formed under the pact. The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Türkiye are also attending the meeting, along with the defence ministers and military chiefs of the three countries.
According to a statement from Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry, the meeting will discuss the international security situation, greater coordination among the three countries’ armed forces and stronger cooperation in the defence industry. The participants may also finalise the structure of a secretariat to coordinate activities under the agreement.
US President Donald Trump has praised the pact as a bold step towards strengthening the countries’ defence capabilities.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is playing an important mediating role in efforts to facilitate dialogue between the United States and Iran amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
