Top officials from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan to meet in Istanbul

What the report says

Top officials from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are due to meet in Istanbul on Monday, according to Al Jazeera, marking their first gathering since the three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement earlier this month. Turkish officials said the meeting will bring together foreign ministers, defence ministers and chiefs of staff.

The report says the Istanbul session is expected to formally create a political and defence strategic committee made up of senior representatives from the three states. Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, cited by Reuters, said the talks will focus on international security issues and on ways to deepen military cooperation and capabilities.

Al Jazeera says the Mecca pact is a collective security arrangement resembling NATO, under which an attack on one member could be treated as an attack on all. The agreement was formed after the US-Israel war on Iran, and it comes at a time when regional security alignments are shifting. Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia each bring significant military and strategic weight to the partnership.

The article also notes possible wider interest in the pact: Erdogan has said Egypt could eventually join, while Bangladesh has said it is considering participation. India is said to be watching the development closely because of its implications for regional security.