Pak troops deployed in Saudi Arabia under Makkah defense pact

Military officers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. Photo - Agencies

Pakistan’s military has confirmed that its troops are currently deployed in Saudi Arabia under the recently signed Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, saying Pakistani personnel are serving in the Kingdom in various roles.

Pakistan military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry made the disclosure in an interview with CNN, saying Pakistani forces had already been stationed in Saudi Arabia for decades in different capacities, reports Arab News

“I can confirm that the forces of Pakistan are already there in the Kingdom,” he said, adding that Pakistani troops were serving in multiple capabilities and areas.

The confirmation comes after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye agreed to provide designated military forces and capabilities under the trilateral defense arrangement.

The agreement followed a meeting of the Strategic-Political and Defense Committee of the Makkah Alliance for Defense in Riyadh, where the three countries discussed security threats facing Saudi Arabia.

The meeting took place amid recent attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis on Saudi territory, involving drones and missiles targeting civilian and economic infrastructure.

Officials from the three countries, at the Oct 5 meeting, reiterated their opposition to any attack or threat against Saudi Arabia’s security and territorial integrity.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in the Saudi holy city on Aug 7, 2026. Under the pact, an armed attack on one member is to be treated as an attack on all three.

Chaudhry said Pakistan’s military presence in Saudi Arabia was part of a longstanding relationship between the two countries rather than a development that emerged solely from the new agreement.

“There is a sustained diplomatic, political, military and people-to-people relationship between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye,” he said.

Pakistan has for years provided military training and advisory support to Saudi Arabia, while Riyadh has provided financial assistance to Islamabad during periods of economic difficulty.

The two countries also signed a separate bilateral defense agreement in September last year. According to a Reuters report in May, Pakistan subsequently deployed 8,000 troops, a fighter jet squadron and an air defense system to Saudi Arabia under that agreement.

Meanwhile, Turkiye has also been providing mainly defensive and technical assistance to Saudi Arabia to help counter Houthi attacks, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing two officials.

Turkiye and Pakistan have condemned the attacks on Saudi Arabia and agreed to join a Saudi-led coalition aimed at ensuring navigational security in the Red Sea. - Agencies