On Monday, during his official visit to Turkiye, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir conducted a series of high-level meetings in Istanbul. The discussions focused on bilateral defence cooperation, shared interests, and the evolving security landscape in the region.
As reported by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Field Marshal Asim Munir held separate meetings with Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Defence Minister Yaşar Güler, and Chief of the Turkish General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu. These discussions occurred in the context of Pakistan’s collaboration with Turkiye and Saudi Arabia under the Makkah Agreement for Joint Defence, aiming to enhance strategic and defence relations among the three nations.
Throughout the meetings, the officials shared insights on mutual interests, bilateral defence collaboration, and the regional security situation.
Field Marshal Asim Munir also took part in the Strategic Political and Defence Committee meeting established under the Makkah Agreement for Joint Defence. The gathering in Istanbul included senior foreign and defence officials, as well as military leaders from Pakistan, Turkiye, and Saudi Arabia, who reviewed strategies to bolster strategic coordination and defence cooperation as outlined in the agreement.
This trilateral engagement signifies the three countries’ commitment to further institutionalizing their cooperation. Following the meeting, a joint statement was released, indicating that Pakistan, Turkiye, and Saudi Arabia have agreed to set up a Secretariat in Saudi Arabia, which will initially be led by a Secretary General from Pakistan for a term of three years.