Turkish parliament ratifies Makkah defence pact
ISTANBUL: Turkiye’s parliament ratified a regional defence pact involving Saudi Arabia and Pakistan overnight, state media reported. The three countries signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in August, committing them to come to one another’s aid if any member is attacked. The pact links NATO member Turkiye, which has the alliance’s second-largest army, with Pakistan, the Islamic world’s only…
Turkiye's parliament has approved a regional defence pact involving Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, according to state media. The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed in August, obligates the three nations to aid each other in case of an attack. The pact unites NATO member Turkiye, the Islamic world's second-largest army holder, with Pakistan, the region's sole nuclear-armed state, and Saudi Arabia, the Gulf's dominant power.
The measure passed with a 279 to 119 vote, reported Anadolu news agency. During debates, AKP lawmaker Ziya Altunyaldiz stated the agreement was not meant as an attack on any third country, but to avoid conflicts. Recently, Saudi Arabia has faced repeated attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels, targeting cities, oil facilities, and shipping, following the escalation of the civil war in the impoverished nation in July.
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