Pakistani military personnel have been present in Saudi Arabia for decades: DG ISPR

Rawalpindi: DG ISPR Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said that Pakistani military personnel are already present in Saudi Arabia, and the defense cooperation between the two countries spans decades.

In an interview with the American media, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that Pakistani military troops are serving in Saudi Arabia with various fields and capabilities. According to him, this presence is not the result of recent developments but is part of the long-standing defense cooperation between the two countries.

DG ISPR also clarified in the context of the Mecca Defense Alliance that the relations between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are not limited to military cooperation only but have also been established at diplomatic, political and public levels for a long time.

This statement has come at a time when Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have decided to make practical progress on joint defense commitments under the Mecca Defense Alliance. At an emergency meeting in Riyadh on October 5, the three countries agreed to take steps to rapidly deploy the necessary military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia.

The three countries signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca in August this year. The agreement includes a provision to consider an armed attack on one of the countries as an attack on all three countries and to further strengthen defense cooperation.

The recent meeting also considered security threats facing Saudi Arabia. The joint statement condemned attacks on Saudi cities and civilian and economic facilities, including attempts to target Mecca and Medina.

Under the Mecca Defense Alliance, the focus is now on implementing the agreement and further enhancing defense coordination, preparedness, and joint capabilities among the three countries.