Pakistan: (Makkah for Joint Defense) Agreement Carries No Aggressive Objectives at All

Islamabad, Aug 10 (KUNA) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday that the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement carries no aggressive objectives whatsoever; it is a defensive pact that enhances peace, development, and prosperity in the region.

Sharif clarified during a cabinet meeting on the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, signed between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey, that "the agreement does not target aggression against any party in any way, but is exclusively for defensive purposes and to achieve peace, development, and prosperity in the region."

He noted that Pakistan has, for decades, shared with Saudi Arabia the responsibility of protecting the Two Holy Mosques, citing an official agreement on this matter concluded last year, and described the current agreement as an extension of that prior arrangement.

The Pakistani Prime Minister stated that the pact among the three countries aims to achieve peace, security, and prosperity in the region, pointing out that cooperation between Pakistan and Turkey has existed for decades and that the trilateral defense agreement continues existing cooperation. He added that protecting the Two Holy Mosques is a significant duty borne by the Pakistani people and the armed forces, emphasizing that the agreement represents a source of strength for the Islamic Ummah.

Earlier, on Sunday evening, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar affirmed in a statement that the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement remains open to any country in the region wishing to adhere to its basic principles and resolve disputes through mutual respect and cooperation by peaceful means.

He added that the agreement is the fruit of years of discussions and coordination, driven by a shared desire to enhance strategic cooperation to address various peace and security challenges and to advance the process of regional peace, stability, and prosperity. He clarified that the agreement "does not nullify or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between these countries or between them and other states or organizations."

The Pakistani Foreign Minister stated that "any external armed attack on any of the three countries will be considered an attack on all of them, in accordance with the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter." (End) S.B.K / F.S