Pakistan’s Retired Lt Gen Nauman Mahmood Appointed First Secretary General of Makkah Defence Alliance

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood has been appointed as the first Secretary General of the alliance established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry.

The ministry said Lt Gen (retd) Nauman Mahmood will lead the secretariat of the alliance, which is to be established in Riyadh.

The appointment follows confirmation by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan that the Secretary General of the trilateral defence arrangement would be from Pakistan.

The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed in Makkah on August 7 by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.

The agreement seeks to strengthen cooperation among the three countries in security and defence matters amid evolving regional and international security challenges.

According to the agreement, its objectives include promoting security, peace, stability and prosperity at regional and international levels while enhancing the collective defence and deterrence capabilities of the three countries.

A key provision states that an armed attack against any one of the three participating countries will be considered an attack against all parties.

The agreement also provides for strengthened regional cooperation and allows other countries and relevant parties that respect international law and share a vision of peaceful cooperation to join the arrangement.

The appointment of Pakistan’s retired senior military officer as the first Secretary General marks an important step toward establishing the institutional framework for implementing the trilateral defence agreement.