Pakistan claims Mecca defense pact is purely defensive and open to other nations

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar clarified on Sunday that the recently signed Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is purely defensive and not directed against any specific country. He stated the pact is open to other nations and aims to strengthen peace, stability, and prosperity in the wider region. This clarification follows earlier remarks by Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, who had suggested the agreement was for the "Islamic world to unite to confront the common threat posed by Israel." The agreement, signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey in Mecca, considers an external armed attack against one signatory as an attack against all, consistent with UN Charter Article 51 on collective self-defense. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has praised the agreement as an "important strategic step."