Türkiye's parliament approves defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan

Türkiye's Grand National Assembly approved by 279 votes to 119 a bill ratifying the Mecca Agreement on joint defense with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, under which an external attack on one party is considered an attack on all.

RuskiGazeta Editorial DeskNovember 06, 2026, 01:02 AMUpdated: November 06, 2026, 01:08 AM

Türkiye's parliament approves defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan

Türkiye's Grand National Assembly, the country's parliament, passed a bill on Thursday approving the ratification of the Mecca Agreement on joint defense between Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Of the 398 lawmakers who voted, 279 supported the document and 119 opposed it; there were no abstentions.

The 16-article agreement was signed in Mecca on Aug. 7 by Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Under Article 2, an external armed attack on any one of the parties is considered an attack on all participants.

Президент Турции Эрдоган и премьер-министр Пакистана Шахбаз Шариф на саммите ОЭС в июле 2025 года (архивное фото)

Assistance to the affected party, including military capabilities, is provided within the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, while the parties determine its nature and scale by consensus. The document also provides for cooperation in combating terrorism, intelligence sharing, joint exercises and cooperation in the defense industry.

During the debate, former Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, who chairs the parliamentary National Defense Committee, said the pact complements NATO and is not directed against any country. Supporters of the agreement also noted that any deployment of Turkish troops abroad will still require a separate parliamentary decision.

The agreement is open-ended, but withdrawal is not permitted during the first 10 years. The bill was submitted to parliament on Oct. 20, and the Foreign Affairs Committee approved it on Oct. 27. Pakistan had already approved the agreement. The next steps will be presidential ratification and publication of the law in the Official Gazette.

Türkiye's parliament approves defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan