Islamabad skies were lit up with fireworks at 10:00pm Sunday night to mark the occasion of the Makkah Defence Agreement.
Grand fireworks and celebration took place around the Blue Area, celebrating the spirit of unity and brotherhood between Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia.
Thousands of people gathered at Islamabad’s New Blue Area to celebrate the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement. Families, students and young people crowded the New Blue Area, waving Pakistan’s flags and chanting slogans in favor of Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
Islamabad’s district administration and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) organized the event to mark the signing of the joint defense pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye on Friday.
Traffic was also affected around the area.
Makkah Defence Agreement details
The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and stipulates that an armed attack against any of the three would be regarded as an attack on all.
The agreement is “guided by the longstanding historical ties among the three states, based on the enduring bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity that unite them, and building upon their shared strategic interests and longstanding defence cooperation”.
Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif were also present at the signing ceremony.
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said that the pact would serve as a “shield of peace” for generations and expressed hope that it would bring prosperity to the three countries and the wider Muslim world. The prime minister also appreciated Field Marshal Asim Munir’s efforts and dedication towards the agreement.
The Makkah Defence Agreement is signed at a crucial time, as tensions continue to escalate in the Middle East amid ongoing US-Iran tensions. However, Turkiye has said that the agreement is not aimed at Iran.