Web Desk (MNN); Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye have prepared a draft trilateral defence agreement following nearly a year of consultations, Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj confirmed on Wednesday.
His remarks came after a statement by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan earlier in the day regarding the possible agreement. Speaking to Reuters, Harraj clarified that the proposed trilateral arrangement is separate from the bilateral defence accord signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia last year.
He said the draft agreement has already been shared among all three countries, but a final consensus is required before it can be concluded. “The Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-Turkiye trilateral agreement is already in the pipeline,” Harraj said, adding that the draft has been under discussion for the past 10 months.
Earlier, addressing a press conference in Istanbul, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed that discussions had taken place but said no agreement had yet been signed. He stressed the need for broader regional cooperation and trust, noting that mistrust often leads to instability, external interference, wars and the spread of terrorism.
Fidan said regional challenges could be addressed if countries developed mutual confidence. He added that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan envisions an inclusive regional platform aimed at wider cooperation and long-term stability, without directly naming Pakistan or Saudi Arabia.
Last week, Bloomberg reported that Turkiye was seeking to join the Pakistan-Saudi defence pact signed in September 2025. According to the report, Ankara views such cooperation as a means to strengthen regional security and deterrence amid concerns over the reliability of the United States and its commitments to NATO.
Bloomberg quoted Ankara-based strategist Nihat Ali Ozcan as saying that Saudi Arabia offers financial strength, Pakistan brings nuclear capability, ballistic missiles and manpower, while Turkiye contributes military experience and a developed defence industry.
In a separate interview with BBC Urdu, Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj said that Turkiye, China, Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan are Pakistan’s close and trusted partners, with strong strategic and defence-related ties.
It may be recalled that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement in Riyadh, under which any attack on either country would be treated as aggression against both.
