Pakistan has called on other Muslim-majority countries to set aside their differences and consider joining its new defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, with Defence Minister Khawaja Asif saying the grouping could eventually develop into a broader collective security alliance similar to NATO.

The remarks came days after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, a pact that includes a mutual defence commitment under which an armed attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all three.

Speaking to Geo News, Asif said the agreement should not remain limited to its three founding members and argued that other Muslim nations should be able to join.

Pakistan Wants Wider Muslim Alliance

Asif said the agreement should not become an exclusive arrangement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.

He called on Muslim countries to put aside bilateral disputes and other differences in favour of cooperation on security issues.

The Pakistani defence minister said a broader alliance could operate along the lines of NATO, although the exact structure and scope of any future expansion remain unclear.

His comments come as the new pact attracts attention across West Asia and South Asia amid heightened regional security tensions.

What Does the Defence Pact Say?

The Makkah agreement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday.

Its central provision states that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be regarded as an attack against all of them.

The provision has drawn comparisons with Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which establishes the principle of collective defence.

However, the three countries have yet to spell out all operational details of the arrangement.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said that if one of the members comes under attack, the three countries would consult each other on the nature and extent of assistance required.

He has also stressed that the agreement is defensive and is not aimed at any particular country.

Three Countries, Different Strengths

The three founding members bring different strategic capabilities to the partnership.

Pakistan has extensive military experience and is the world's only Muslim-majority nuclear-armed state. Saudi Arabia contributes significant financial resources, energy influence and a strategic position in the Gulf.

Türkiye, meanwhile, is a NATO member with one of the alliance's largest armed forces and a rapidly expanding domestic defence industry.

Its military-industrial capabilities include drones, naval systems, missiles and other advanced defence technologies.

The combination of Pakistani military capabilities, Saudi economic resources and Turkish defence production has prompted analysts to examine the potential significance of the arrangement for the region.

Could More Countries Join?

Pakistan is not the only country suggesting that the alliance could expand.

Fidan has indicated that Turkish President Erdoğan supports the possibility of bringing additional countries into the arrangement. He also mentioned Egypt as one potential candidate.

Pakistan's leadership has similarly stressed that the agreement remains open to other countries that are willing to accept its principles.

However, whether major Muslim countries such as Egypt or others eventually join will depend on their own strategic interests and relations with the three founding members.

Pakistan Says Pact Is Not Against Iran

Islamabad has sought to emphasise that the agreement is not directed against Iran or any other country.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar described the pact as "purely defensive in nature" and said it was intended to strengthen regional security cooperation.

Dar also said the agreement does not replace or cancel existing bilateral or multilateral arrangements involving the participating countries.

In a post on X, he said Pakistan would continue engaging with countries across the region to promote peace and stability.

A New Security Framework?

The pact comes at a time of heightened tensions across West Asia and growing concerns about regional security.

For Pakistan, expanding the agreement could strengthen its diplomatic and strategic role among Muslim-majority nations. For Saudi Arabia, closer defence cooperation with Pakistan and Türkiye could provide additional security partnerships at a time of uncertainty over regional conflicts.

Türkiye, meanwhile, could gain greater influence in a broader security framework connecting South Asia with the Gulf.

Whether the Makkah agreement develops into a wider alliance, however, will depend on how its collective-defence clause is implemented and whether other countries are willing to join.

For now, Pakistan's call for Muslim nations to "put differences aside" marks an ambitious attempt to turn the three-country pact into a broader regional security platform.

Pakistan has issued a fresh and aggressive warning to India over the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, with Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik declaring that any attempt to stop Pakistan’s share of river water would face severe consequences.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Malik said, “The prime minister of the neighbouring country says not a single drop of water will be allowed to reach Pakistan. Anyone who tries to stop Pakistan’s share of water will face consequences.” He further remarked that those trying to block water would have their “hands cut off.”

The Pakistani government also announced it will host an international seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty in Islamabad on Tuesday to discuss its legal and technical aspects.

Tarar maintained that the 1960 treaty remains legally binding and cannot be unilaterally suspended, terminated, or amended by India. He said Pakistan’s rights under the treaty are protected by international law and described water as the country’s “lifeline” and a “red line.”

The remarks come days after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that Islamabad could go to war if it felt its water security was under threat.

India had suspended the Indus Waters Treaty following the April 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. New Delhi has maintained that the treaty will remain suspended until Pakistan takes credible and irreversible action against cross-border terrorism.

Signed in 1960 with the World Bank as mediator, the treaty governs the sharing of waters from the Indus river system. Pakistan relies heavily on it for irrigation and power generation.

The latest statements have once again heightened tensions between the two neighbours over the critical water-sharing agreement. Further developments are awaited as both sides continue to hold their positions.

Islamabad says its stance on the Middle East issue remains non-negotiable despite fresh calls from Washington linking normalisation to regional peace talks.

In a sharp diplomatic pushback, Pakistan has firmly rejected US President Donald Trump’s latest appeal to normalise relations with Israel by joining the Abraham Accords. Defending the country’s traditional foreign policy, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated that Islamabad cannot compromise on its foundational principles for short-term strategic gains.

The developments unfolded on Monday after Trump outlined a major diplomatic push on social media, linking ongoing US-Iran peace negotiations to a broader Middle East settlement. In a lengthy public statement, Trump explicitly named Pakistan alongside heavyweights like Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, urging them to simultaneously sign the accords to secure a wider regional alignment.

Reacting swiftly to the proposal during a late-night television interview, Asif made it clear that joining such an arrangement is out of the question. “Personally, I don't think we should join any such accord that clashes with our fundamental ideologies,” the Defence Minister told Samaa TV.

Core ideology non-negotiable

The strongly worded rejection from Islamabad underlines the domestic and political sensitivities that govern Pakistan’s approach to the Middle East. Officials in the foreign ministry indicated that the state's official position has remained consistent for the past 78 years, anchoring any potential recognition of Israel to the creation of an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Asif also took aim at the diplomatic credibility of the Israeli leadership, questioning how any sovereign nation could engage in structured negotiations under the current global climate. “How will you sit down with those people whose word cannot be trusted even for a single day?” he asked, highlighting deep-seated skepticism over ongoing ceasefire violations in Gaza.

Passport policy stands out

To drive home the point, the Defence Minister pointed toward a unique domestic legal barrier that defines the state’s absolute isolation from Tel Aviv. He reminded the public that the country’s travel documents are intentionally designed to restrict access, calling it an institutional proof of Pakistan's refusal to recognise Israel.

“On our passports, we are the only country whose passports don't even include Israel's name,” Asif noted, referencing the explicit inscription stating the document is valid for all countries except Israel.

Trump’s wider alliance blueprint

The push from Washington appears to be part of a broader, unconventional blueprint curated by the Trump administration to establish a massive US-backed alliance in West Asia. According to diplomatic sources, Trump is attempting to capitalise on the current momentum of negotiations with Iran to pull multiple Muslim-majority states into the Abraham Accords framework.

Trump described the ongoing talks with Tehran as "proceeding nicely" but added a stark warning that failure to secure an all-encompassing deal would mean a return to active hostilities. He argued that the 2020 accords, which initially brought the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco into formal diplomatic terms with Israel, have triggered an economic and social boom that other regional players should look to replicate.

Economic and domestic tightrope

For the current ruling coalition in Islamabad, balancing Washington's expectations against severe domestic pushback remains an incredibly delicate tightrope walk. Observers note that while Pakistan relies heavily on international financial systems and trade ties with the West, any overt softening towards Israel carries extreme domestic political risks capable of triggering widespread public unrest.

Furthermore, the situation is complicated by the evolving stances of major Gulf monarchies. With key regional allies like Saudi Arabia also being intensely courted by the US for normalisation pacts, Islamabad faces the challenging prospect of maintaining its traditional stance while navigating its deep economic dependency on financial assistance and remittances from the Gulf region.

No policy shift ahead

Despite the mounting pressure, senior officials in Islamabad insist that participation in multilateral humanitarian forums should not be misconstrued as a diplomatic shift. Earlier this year, when questions were raised regarding Pakistani representatives attending a Gaza-related peace board meeting, the Foreign Ministry had issued a similar clarification denying any backchannel movement toward the Abraham Accords.

For now, the government maintains that its position remains absolute, leaving little room for the diplomatic expansion Trump envisioned in his latest regional peace outline.