FO says Makkah defence pact 'defensive' in nature, expansion currently 'not on the cards'

The Foreign Office stated that the Makkah Defence Alliance, comprising Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, is primarily a defensive alliance aimed at ensuring regional security through deterrence. According to spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan, the pact is not currently being expanded, and any future decisions on expansion will be made after consolidating the existing organization and cooperation among the member states.

The alliance, which was signed on August 7, seeks to strengthen collective deterrence and empower its signatories to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all. The inaugural meeting of the pact took place on August 31 in Istanbul, where it was decided to establish a secretariat in Saudi Arabia to support the alliance's work.

The secretariat, initially headed by a secretary general from Pakistan for three years, will handle key organizational, procedural, and other matters. Khan emphasized that the alliance is in the initial stage of formation, and significant work remains to finalize its structure, mechanisms, and procedures. Regarding the demolition of Muslim worship sites in India, the FO condemned the "systematic" and "state-sanctioned" demolitions as violations of the Liaquat-Nehru Pact and India's own laws.

Khan urged the international community to take notice of the persecution of Muslims in India and expressed concern over the deteriorating health of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik, who recently decided not to contest a case related to the killing of Sarla Bhat.