Field Marshal, Saudi envoy hail Makkah pact progress

Saudi Arabia’s newly appointed ambassador to Pakistan, Dr Rajeh Tami Albugamy, met Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on Monday to discuss regional security and defence cooperation.

Both sides expressed satisfaction over progress under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA) and stressed the need to strengthen defence collaboration, institutional ties and strategic coordination, the military’s media wing said.

Field Marshal Munir congratulated Albugamy on his appointment and expressed confidence that his tenure would further strengthen the longstanding ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, rooted in shared faith, mutual trust and strategic partnership.

Albugamy assumed his diplomatic responsibilities in Islamabad last Thursday, reaffirming his commitment to strengthening relations between the two countries.

Last week, the Saudi envoy met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

During his meeting with Albugamy, PM Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its “sovereignty, security and territorial integrity” amid a recent escalation in Houthi attacks.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the MJDA on August 7 during the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence.

Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three signatories is to be treated as an attack against all three, establishing a mutual-defence commitment among the countries. The pact aims to strengthen collective deterrence and enhance security cooperation among the signatories.