Pakistan and Saudi Arabia complete Mecca pact vote

Pakistan declared on Friday that it has completed its internal legal steps to join a tri-nation military alliance with Saudi Arabia and Turkey. This move places the agreement one ratification short of full activation, as Ankara continues its own domestic review process.

Sajjad Haider Khan, a Foreign Office spokesperson, confirmed that both Islamabad and Riyadh have finished their respective ratification procedures for the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement. The treaty was signed on 7 August by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Khan noted that discussions regarding the pact's operationalization are still ongoing among the three parties.

The agreement provides for collective defense if an external armed attack occurs on any member state. The specific nature and scale of support will be determined based on the circumstances of the attack. Islamabad characterizes the deal as a defensive arrangement consistent with the United Nations Charter.

Momentum for implementation increased following a 5 October meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee. The group agreed that military forces and capabilities should be deployed rapidly to Saudi Arabia if needed, subject to each nation's domestic laws. This commitment to rapid deployment underscores the urgency of the security environment in the region.

The ratification announcement coincides with heightened tensions in the Red Sea region. Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence issued warnings this week regarding potential dangers in Abha and Khamis Mushait, locations in the kingdom's southwest. While authorities later stated the immediate danger had passed, they did not specify the source of the threat. Residents in those areas were advised to avoid gathering or filming.

These alerts occurred alongside continued Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi infrastructure. Reuters reported on 21 October that Riyadh's allies were primarily providing defensive support. The timing of Pakistan's completion of ratification highlights the strategic pressure facing the Saudi government as it seeks to secure its borders against renewed aggression from Yemen.

Regional military activity has also intensified elsewhere. The Israeli military announced large-scale exercises for Sunday and Monday in the northern and central sectors of the country. These drills will involve the air force and units from the Northern and Central Commands, rehearsing scenarios of surprise air and land attacks. The stated goal is to test readiness for multi-front defense. Meanwhile, President Trump said on Friday that the United States might conduct another military operation against Iran as the conflict approaches its eighth month. Reports indicate that American and Israeli forces have drafted plans for fresh strikes following the US midterm elections on 3 November, with Iranian energy and nuclear sites among possible targets.