{
  "id": 349108,
  "title": "Defence accord draws cross-party praise",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/defence-accord-draws-cross-party-praise",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-08T17:54:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Express Tribune - Pakistan",
    "slug": "the-express-tribune-pakistan",
    "url": "https://tribune.com.pk/story/2622867/defence-accord-draws-cross-party-praise"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement has received enthusiastic support from Pakistan's political leadership, with the accord being hailed as a significant milestone in the nation's history. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari praised the trilateral pact, emphasizing its potential to enhance Pakistan's defense capabilities and contribute to regional and global peace. He specifically commended Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir for their crucial roles in bringing the agreement to fruition.\n\nMaulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), viewed the agreement as a major step towards greater unity within the Muslim world. He expressed hope that other Islamic states would join the arrangement, emphasizing that a joint defence capability among Muslim countries was a long-standing aspiration of his party. Fazl reiterated that the pact reflected JUI-F's manifesto and political outlook, and that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were well-positioned to provide leadership to the Muslim Ummah.\n\nHafiz Naeemur Rehman, the emir of Jamiat-e-Islami, also welcomed the trilateral defence agreement. He advocated for the inclusion of Qatar, Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia, and Indonesia in the defense arrangement, noting that the establishment of an Islamic bloc could ultimately lead to the formation of a strong pillar of collective security among Islamic nations.",
  "summary": "Bilawal, Fazl call pact 'historic', JI seeks wider alliance",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}