Pakistani forces have been deployed in Saudi Arabia in multiple capacities and domains for decades, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif said in an interview with CNN.
Responding to a question about Pakistani military personnel already being on the ground in Saudi Arabia as part of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA), Lt Gen Sharif confirmed the presence of Pakistani troops in the kingdom: “Pakistani troops have been there for decades.”
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the MJDA on August 7. Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three countries is to be treated as an attack against all three. The pact seeks to strengthen collective deterrence and deepen security cooperation among the three countries.
He said Pakistani forces had been present in Saudi Arabia in “multiple capabilities” for decades and stressed that the Mecca Alliance had not emerged in isolation.
“As I said, this Makkah Alliance is not something that has come out in a vacuum,” the DG ISPR said.
He pointed to what he described as sustained diplomatic, political and military ties, as well as people-to-people relations, between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.
“There’s a sustained diplomatic, political, military relationship, people-to-people relationship between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye,” he said.
The DG ISPR added that Pakistani forces were already present in Saudi Arabia across multiple capabilities and domains.
“So, I can share with you that the Pakistani forces in multiple capabilities and domains are already there,” he said.
Deployment of forces
The comments come days after Pakistan and Turkiye agreed to ensure the rapid deployment of agreed military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia under the MJDA.
The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the alliance’s Strategic-Political and Defence Committee in Riyadh on October 5, as the three countries reviewed security developments and threats facing Saudi Arabia.
According to a joint statement issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the committee decided to move immediately towards implementing the alliance’s collective defence commitments and take necessary measures for the rapid deployment of agreed forces and capabilities in the kingdom.
The statement said any deployment would be carried out in accordance with approved arrangements and the national laws of the three countries. The move was described as an effort to enhance military readiness, integration and the collective capacity of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye to respond to threats.
The committee also endorsed the nomination of Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood (retd), Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military), as the alliance’s first secretary-general.
Pakistan’s delegation at the emergency meeting included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
The three countries also discussed regional developments and reaffirmed their commitment to working together for regional peace and stability. Pakistan expressed what the statement described as “unwavering solidarity” with Saudi Arabia and support for its sovereignty, territorial integrity and security.
The countries condemned what the statement described as attempts to target Makkah and Madina, as well as attacks on Saudi cities and civilian and economic facilities. They reaffirmed their rejection of any attack or threat against the kingdom’s security and territorial integrity.
Pakistan and Türkiye also commended the Saudi Armed Forces for their vigilance, readiness and professionalism in responding to threats facing the kingdom.
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