Makkah: Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered Friday prayers, August 7, together at Qasr Al-Safa in Makkah after signing a landmark defence agreement between their three countries.
Video shows the three leaders and senior officials performing prayers, while footage from the Grand Mosque shows worshippers gathered around the Kaaba for prayers.
The prayers followed the Makkah Joint Defence Summit at Al-Safa Palace, where Mohammed bin Salman, Erdogan and Sharif signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
Watch the video here
The agreement establishes a collective defence framework for Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan. It stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against all three.
The pact also seeks to expand defence cooperation and strengthen joint deterrence against aggression. A joint statement said it builds on the countries’ historical ties, Islamic solidarity, shared strategic interests and close defence cooperation.
The three countries said the agreement would contribute to strengthening security and promoting peace and stability in the region and globally. Its collective defence provision has been compared with NATO’s Article 5, which provides for a collective response when a member is attacked.
Shehbaz Sharif visits Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Madinah on Friday and visited the Prophet’s Mosque along with a Pakistani delegation.
The Prime Minister offered optional prayers at Riaz Al-Jannah and prayed for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan and its people.
Sharif also visited the Rawdah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), where he was granted the privilege of a special visitation.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi accompanied the Prime Minister.
The Pakistani prime minister’s visit to Saudi Arabia, at the invitation of Mohammed bin Salman, includes discussions on bilateral relations, economic cooperation, defence ties and regional developments.
Earlier, the Pakistani delegation performed Umrah.
