Rawalpindi, October 19,2026: Saudi Arabia’s newly appointed ambassador to Pakistan, Dr Rajeh Tami Albugamy, met Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir at General Headquarters (GHQ) on Monday, with both sides expressing satisfaction over progress under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the meeting focused on matters of mutual interest and regional security developments.
Both dignitaries expressed satisfaction with progress under the framework of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement and emphasized the need to strengthen defence cooperation, institutional linkages and strategic coordination between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Field Marshal Munir congratulated Dr Albugamy on his appointment and expressed confidence that his tenure would further strengthen the longstanding fraternal ties between Islamabad and Riyadh, rooted in shared faith, mutual trust and strategic partnership.
The Saudi ambassador assumed his diplomatic responsibilities in Islamabad last Thursday, reaffirming his commitment to strengthening strategic relations between the two countries.
Earlier last week, Dr Albugamy met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
During his meeting with the Saudi envoy, Prime Minister Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and territorial integrity amid escalating Houthi attacks against the kingdom.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also underscored the longstanding fraternal and strategic relations between the two countries, reaffirming their shared commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation for mutual progress and prosperity.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, while the broader Makkah Joint Defence Alliance also includes Turkiye. Both arrangements are aimed at strengthening collective deterrence and regional security.
Earlier this month, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye held an emergency meeting under the Makkah alliance and agreed to facilitate the rapid deployment of military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia. The development came amid reported Houthi attacks against the kingdom, although the announcement did not identify a specific threat.
Signed on August 7, the Makkah defence pact aims to strengthen collective deterrence, with its signatories committing to treat an attack against one member as an attack against all.
In an interview aired on Sunday, ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistan was providing and would continue to provide whatever support was needed to defend Saudi Arabia against attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
He described the security of Saudi Arabia, its territorial integrity and the Two Holy Mosques as non-negotiable for Pakistan, while emphasizing that the defence alliance was defensive in nature and intended to promote regional stability.
