ISLAMABAD – Pakistan hinted at possibility of much larger Muslim defence alliance after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif called for newly signed Türkiye-Saudi Arabia-Pakistan security pact to expand into broader collective defence platform with more nations.
Calling \potential alliance a possible “NATO of the Islamic world,” Asif said its doors should remain open to other Muslim countries and stressed that the initiative must not become an exclusive club. He said Muslim nations to put aside their differences and unite on common security platform, signalling Islamabad’s ambition to turn the three-way defence arrangement into a wider strategic partnership.
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif suggested the Türkiye-Saudi-Pakistan defense agreement should expand to become the NATO of the Islamic world:
"The doors really cannot be closed to other countries. This should not be an exclusive club.
I think that Muslim…
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 8, 2026
The proposal comes just after Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan signed landmark joint defence agreement, under which an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack against all three.
The agreement was announced following a high-level meeting in Mecca involving Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The pact comes as tensions across the Middle East remain high following US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28. Iran and groups aligned with Tehran subsequently targeted Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, while instability also disrupted maritime traffic around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
Against this backdrop, the three countries have moved to strengthen military coordination and collective deterrence. However, the agreement leaves important questions unanswered. It does not clearly establish what specific military assistance each country would be required to provide if another member came under attack.
The emerging alliance has already triggered reaction from Tehran. Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei dismissed the agreement’s potential to guarantee Saudi security, arguing that closer cooperation between Riyadh, Ankara and Islamabad would not necessarily provide the kingdom with protection.
For Saudi Arabia, the pact offers an additional layer of defence at a time when the region’s security architecture is rapidly changing. Kingdom faced repeated threats, including Houthi attacks targeting Saudi airports, oil facilities and tankers. Israel’s strike on Doha last year has also intensified concerns among Gulf states about the vulnerability of regional capitals and strategic infrastructure.
For Islamabad, the agreement could significantly strengthen its strategic position in the wider Muslim world. Pakistan could gain greater diplomatic and security support from both Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, particularly after its 2025 confrontation with India.
The development also comes after Pakistan’s growing diplomatic engagement in the region, including its efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States.
Closer military ties could open the door to joint defence production, technology partnerships, weapons procurement and greater interoperability between the armed forces of the three countries. With Türkiye’s expanding defence industry, the agreement could potentially create new markets and opportunities for Turkish military technology across the wider Muslim world.
Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan sign Makkah Joint Defence Agreement
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