{
  "id": 7650490,
  "title": "Makkah defence pact has no regional aspirations, aimed at collective deterrence: DG ISPR",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/makkah-defence-pact-has-no-regional-aspirations-aimed-at-collective",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-15T16:46:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Express Tribune - Pakistan",
    "slug": "the-express-tribune-pakistan",
    "url": "https://tribune.com.pk/story/2629518/makkah-defence-pact-has-no-regional-aspirations-aimed-at-collective-deterrence-dg-ispr"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has stated that the \"Makkah Joint Defence Agreement\" among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye has no regional ambitions. This agreement is primarily defensive in nature, aimed at ensuring collective deterrence. Speaking to Al-Arabiya English, Chaudhry emphasized that the pact does not possess offensive or interference elements, and is purely defensive. He reiterated that there are no regional aspirations, and the agreement is complementary, not competing with any other alliance. When questioned about Pakistan's response to an attack on one of the partners, Chaudhry stated that the operationalization of defensive commitments has never been made public, and the three nations would decide the course of action accordingly. Chaudhry also clarified that the recent agreement is complementary to Pakistan's longstanding relationship with Beijing, noting that China recognizes the historic and deeply rooted nature of these relations. He further rejected the notion that Pakistan is competing with any country through the agreement, emphasizing that the focus is on solidifying engagement with partners and friends. Regarding Pakistan's mediation role in the US-Iran conflict, Chaudhry highlighted that Pakistan's diplomatic efforts are aimed at regional peace, taking advantage of its strong relations with both the United States and Iran. He attributed Pakistan's successful mediation to the country's decades-long friendly relations with these nations and its unique position as a proponent of peace in the region.",
  "summary": "Says pact is not a ‘Muslim alliance’, open to partners backing regional peace and stability",
  "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."
}