CDF Munir, New Saudi Envoy Stress Stronger Defence Ties and Strategic Coordination

Islamabad – (Choudhry Muddaser) – CDF Munir met Saudi Arabia’s newly appointed ambassador to Pakistan, Dr Rajeh Tami Albugamy, at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Monday. Both sides agreed that defence cooperation and strategic coordination between the two countries should grow stronger.

Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir holds two top posts. He is the Chief of Defence Forces and also the Chief of Army Staff.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) shared details of the meeting. It said the two sides talked about matters of shared interest and the security situation in the region.

They also spoke about the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, known as MJDA. Both were happy with the progress made under the deal so far. They said it is important to keep building defence cooperation and strong links between their institutions.

The Field Marshal congratulated the ambassador on his new role. He said he was confident that the ambassador’s time in Pakistan would make the long-standing ties between the two countries even stronger.

According to the military’s media wing, the bond between Islamabad and Riyadh rests on shared faith, mutual trust and a strategic partnership.

The meeting came just one day after a key statement from the ISPR chief. Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry gave an interview to Independent Arabia on Sunday.

In that interview, he said the collective deterrence of the MJDA could come into play if diplomacy fails and the regional crisis turns into a military conflict.

He described the alliance as defensive. He also said it is not aimed at any one country.

The ISPR chief warned that if talks do not produce a result, the situation could slide toward military confrontation. He added that widening the conflict in the Middle East would not help any country.

He urged regional states to settle their differences through dialogue instead of fighting each other.

Lt Gen Chaudhry said Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are a top priority for Pakistan. He added that protecting the two holiest sites of Islam is just as important.

He also said that Pakistan’s position has already been shared by its political and military leadership.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the MJDA on August 7. The signing took place at the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence.

Under the agreement, an armed attack on any one of the three countries will be treated as an attack on all three. This creates a mutual defence promise among them.

The ISPR chief said the agreement has moved forward a great deal in a short time. He said it reflects the shared thinking of all three nations.

He also stressed that the Makkah alliance aims to promote peace, stability and security in the region.

The Monday meeting at GHQ shows that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia want to keep their defence ties active and their talks regular, especially at a time of tension in the region.