Pakistan’s Dar, Munir arrive in Turkiye ahead of first Makkah defence pact meeting

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Istanbul, Turkiye on August 30, 2026 ahead of the first meeting under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement. The trilateral defence pact, signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on August 7, commits each signatory to treat an attack against one as an attack against all. The agreement comes amid rising security concerns following escalating tensions in West Asia.

The Pakistan Foreign Office stated that Dar landed in Istanbul for "official engagements" while the army confirmed Munir's arrival on an "official visit." Details of their engagements remain undisclosed. However, the Turkish Foreign Ministry confirmed that the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee, established under the pact, will take place in Istanbul on August 31, 2026. Turkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yasar Guler and Chief of Turkish General Staff Gen Selcuk Bayraktaroglu will participate in the meeting.

While the agenda has not been officially released, regional security in light of the Iran conflict is expected to be a key topic. Turkiye's Fidan also extended an invitation to Dar for the Regional-4 (R-4) meeting in Istanbul. The R-4 group, comprising Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt, focuses on regional security and emerged in March 2026 amid mediation efforts between the U.S. and Iran. The last R-4 meeting was held in Amman, Jordan on August 5, where ministers "reaffirmed the importance of continued consultation and close coordination among the four countries in advancing regional stability," according to the Foreign Office.

Pakistan has positioned itself as a potential mediator between the U.S. and Iran. Dar's arrival in Turkiye follows a "successful official visit to the UK" in London, as stated by the Pakistan Foreign Office.

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