Ishaq Dar Reaches Madinah Ahead of Riyadh SPDC Meeting

ISLAMABAD: (News Desk) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar reached Madinah Munawwarah on Monday morning ahead of a key meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee (SPDC) in Riyadh under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

Dar will join Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at the Riyadh meeting, along with senior Saudi and Turkish political and military officials.

According to the Foreign Office, Dar was received in Madinah by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the Consul General in Jeddah, the Director General of the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Madinah Branch and representatives of the Saudi Royal Protocol.

During his stay in the holy city, the deputy prime minister paid respects at Roza-e-Rasool (PBUH) and offered prayers for Pakistan’s peace, prosperity and stability, the well-being of its people and the wider Muslim Ummah.

Dar also visited Jabal Uhud, where he paid homage to the Shuhada-e-Uhud and offered prayers before proceeding to Riyadh for the SPDC meeting.

The committee brings together foreign and defence ministers and senior military officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye to discuss regional developments and cooperation under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement. The agreement was signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye in August and provides for enhanced defence cooperation and collective deterrence.

The SPDC was established as part of efforts to institutionalise cooperation under the agreement. At its inaugural meeting in Istanbul on August 31, the three countries agreed to further strengthen coordination, collective defence capabilities and cooperation aimed at promoting regional peace and stability.

The Riyadh meeting comes amid heightened regional tensions and follows Pakistan’s continued diplomatic engagement on regional security and de-escalation. The Foreign Office has previously stressed that the Makkah Agreement is defensive in nature and aimed at strengthening collective security and regional stability.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye are expected to review the latest regional developments and discuss the implementation and institutionalisation of cooperation under the Makkah framework.