DPM Dar says committee under Makkah pact to meet in Riyadh 'soon'

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Friday that a meeting of the Strategic Political Defence Committee (SPDC) will take place in Riyadh "soon". He made this statement during a press briefing discussing the Pakistani delegation's participation in the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York in September, as well as high-level meetings that occurred outside of the UNGA.

Dar emphasized that the SPDC, formed under the trilateral Makkah Accord, consists of three members from each country, including foreign ministers, defence ministers, and chiefs of army staff.

On September 25, a special meeting of the three army chiefs was held in Riyadh. Prior to this, foreign ministers had convened in New York on September 24, following a surge in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. The deputy premier confirmed that a full meeting of the SPDC is expected to be held in Riyadh shortly, based on the current situation and "ground reality," particularly concerning Saudi Arabia. He assured that further details of the meeting would be disclosed post-meeting.

Additionally, Dar revealed that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is scheduled to visit Pakistan "soon", most likely before the conclusion of his tenure in December. He emphasized that Guterres had met with the Pakistan delegation during the UNGA session and had accepted the invitation from Pakistan. The foreign minister lauded Guterres for his "unforgettable" support during times of crisis for the country.

He mentioned that the UN chief's term will end on December 31, and the visit's program, upon approval from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, would be released soon, occurring "very soon" following the invitation. Dar expressed anticipation that the visit would be "memorable".