ISLAMABAD (Realist English). Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Mohammad Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
According to official statements, the sides discussed regional and international developments, as well as issues of mutual interest.
During the conversation, the ministers explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation and coordination between Pakistan and Turkey on international platforms. They agreed to maintain close contact and consultations on matters of mutual agenda.
Ishaq Dar thanked his Turkish counterpart for hosting the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee in Istanbul, established under the Mecca Agreement on Mutual Defense between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The sides discussed ways to implement the agreements reached during that meeting and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation within the trilateral defense pact.
Support for Palestine: A Coordinated Position
Pakistan and Turkey have repeatedly issued joint statements in support of the Palestinian people. During meetings on the sidelines of ministerial sessions of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the sides reaffirmed their “firm and unwavering support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people in the face of ongoing Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.”
Pakistan consistently advocates for the creation of a sovereign, independent and contiguous Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem). Turkey, for its part, also adheres to this position and actively supports the Palestinian cause at international forums.
The Mecca Defense Agreement: A New Security Format
The Mecca Agreement on Joint Defense, signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey on August 7, 2026, in Mecca, stipulates that an armed attack on one of the three countries will be considered an attack on all. The document is aimed at strengthening collective deterrence and regional stability.
Within the framework of the agreement, a Strategic Political and Defense Committee has already been established, with its first meeting held in Istanbul. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif stated that any attack on Saudi Arabia could activate the pact’s mechanism.
Turkish Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler called the Mecca Alliance “a historic step toward stronger strategic cooperation, collective deterrence and regional stability.”
Expanding Defense Cooperation
Pakistan-Turkey relations have traditionally been characterized by close military-technical cooperation.
Turkey is one of the key suppliers of defense products to Pakistan, including unmanned aerial vehicles, naval systems and aerospace technologies. Pakistani personnel are involved in Turkey’s KAAN fighter jet program.
At the end of August 2026, a ceremony was held at Pakistan’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi to mark the 104th anniversary of Victory Day of the Turkish Armed Forces. Turkey’s Ambassador to Pakistan, İrfan Neziroğlu, was an honorary guest at the event, where the sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening their “long-term defense and strategic partnership.”
Regional Context: Middle East and South Asia
The intensification of Pakistan-Turkey dialogue is taking place against the backdrop of a complex geopolitical situation in the region.
Pakistan, which possesses a nuclear arsenal and one of the largest armies in the region, is viewed as a key element of the new defense alliance. Turkey, in turn, is seeking to strengthen its role in the Middle East and the Islamic world.
According to reports, Pakistan may carry out airstrikes on positions of Yemen’s Houthis at Saudi Arabia’s request, which would be Islamabad’s first direct military action beyond its borders within the framework of the multilateral agreement.
Experts note that growing cooperation between Pakistan, Turkey and China is forming a new “security triangle” that is changing the balance of power in the region and challenging traditional American influence.
