Key Takeaways
- Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye have formed a joint defence agreement amid regional tensions.
- The agreement aims to stabilize the Middle East and address the growing threat from conflict.
- Pakistan must navigate potential risks and maintain diplomatic balance with regional powers.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye have entered into a joint defence agreement, known as the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which is seen as a significant strategic move in the volatile Middle East region.
The agreement, which was forged in the shadow of the ongoing US and Israeli war on Iran, seeks to enhance regional stability and control over security matters.
Pakistan's strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia is long-standing, with decades of military and diplomatic cooperation, while Turkiye has extensive defence ties with both countries.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has increased Pakistan's reliance on the Red Sea for oil, making direct military involvement against the Houthis a complex decision.
Pakistan faces the challenge of avoiding further division in the Middle East, particularly in light of the ongoing crisis involving Ansarullah (the Houthis) in the Red Sea.
The stability of Saudi Arabia is crucial for Pakistan, as it is a significant source of energy and financial support, and home to a large Pakistani diaspora whose remittances contribute to foreign exchange earnings.
Pakistan's involvement in the agreement comes with caveats, as direct military action could risk drawing the country deeper into existing regional rivalries and testing its policy commitment to avoiding camp politics.
Pakistan's leaders must ensure that major commitments abroad still require political dialogue and consensus at home, considering the country's demographic diversity.
Ultimately, Pakistan's usefulness to the alliance might lie in its ability to exploit the diplomatic space it retains with both Tehran and Riyadh, using those channels to encourage dialogue and de-escalation.
