Pakistan signed a collective-defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey on Aug. 7 [1].
The agreements signal a shift in Islamabad's strategic outreach beyond South Asia, establishing new security networks in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa.
The trilateral agreement, often referred to as the “Makkah Pact,” involves three countries [2]. Pakistan describes the arrangement as a safety net against attacks. Ishaq Dar, Foreign Minister of Pakistan, said, "The pact is purely defensive" [3].
While the government frames the Makkah Pact as defensive, some analysts suggest the network could shift regional power balances and reflects ambitions beyond simple protection [4].
Simultaneously, Pakistan entered a separate security pact with Somalia. This agreement focuses on capacity-building, military training, and counter-terrorism [5]. This move expands Pakistan's engagement in the Indian Ocean region, though the Somalia agreement remains distinct from the trilateral pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey [5].
U.S. President Donald Trump said the diplomatic developments were a "big, bold and important first step" [6].
The timing of these pacts coincides with a shifting order in the Middle East, as Pakistan seeks to diversify its security partnerships [7].
“"The pact is purely defensive."”
By establishing simultaneous ties with Middle Eastern powers and a strategic point in the Horn of Africa, Pakistan is attempting to reduce its traditional security dependencies. The separate nature of the Somalia pact suggests a tiered strategy: a high-level collective defence shield with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and a tactical, operational partnership with Somalia to project influence toward the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden corridors.
