Commentary: A new ‘NATO of the East’? Why the Mecca pact isn’t quite what it seems
- Commentary The agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan is an experiment in regional self-reliance, says this professor.
- Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pose after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Aug 7, 2026.
- Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS 18 Aug 2026 05:59AM KAMLOOPS, Canada: Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan have signed the Mecca Joint Defence Pact, a new collective defence arrangement that connects the Middle East with South Asia.
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- Commentary The agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan is an experiment in regional self-reliance, says this professor.
- Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pose after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Aug 7, 2026.
- Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS 18 Aug 2026 05:59AM KAMLOOPS, Canada: Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan have signed the Mecca Joint Defence Pact, a new collective defence arrangement that connects the Middle East with South Asia.
Sources: CNA