What is the Mecca defence pact?

Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces, Asim Munir, has decided to deploy additional military assets to Riyadh, despite the Pakistani Parliament's refusal to engage in the ongoing Houthi conflict. This move was taken due to the signing of the Mecca Defence Pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey in August. According to Reuters, this pact marked the first time that Pakistan had sent troops to support Saudi Arabia amidst the escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom.

The agreement is based on a 2025 Saudi-Pakistani pact, which saw Pakistan dispatch approximately 8,000 troops to Saudi Arabia by May. Munir, who was elected as the field marshal of Pakistan's armed forces in 2025, holds the position till 2030 and enjoys lifetime rank as the field marshal. He is currently immune to criminal prosecution, reflecting the military's growing influence over the country's political landscape.

Munir is considered to wield more power domestically than any of his predecessors, as the military now exercises control over key government departments like defense and foreign relations. The relationship between former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Munir has been strained since 2019, when Munir was abruptly removed from his post as the Director-General of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) at the behest of then-Prime Minister Khan.

No official reason was provided for Munir's dismissal. Khan was subsequently removed from power in April 2022, after which Munir returned to the forefront of Pakistan's power structure when PM Shehbaz Sharif appointed him as the army chief, replacing Bajwa.