Lt-Gen Nauman Mahmood named first secretary general of Makkah Defence Alliance

The Foreign Office on Wednesday announced the appointment of Lieutenant General (retired) Nauman Mahmood as the first secretary general of the Makkah Defence Alliance between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. “The government of Pakistan is pleased to announce the appointment of Lt-Gen Nauman Mahmood, Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military), (retired), as the first secretary general pursuant to the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, ” the Foreign Office said in a statement. The secretary general will lead the alliance’s general secretariat being established in Riyadh, it added. The appointment marks the next step in institutionalising the trilateral defence framework after the three countries agreed to establish a permanent secretariat under the agreement. At the alliance’s inaugural Strategic Political and Defence Committee meeting in Istanbul on August 31, the members agreed that Pakistan would initially head the secretariat for three years. The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in Makkah on August 7. Under the pact, an armed attack against any one of the three countries is to be treated as an attack against all three. The agreement seeks to strengthen collective defence, security cooperation and coordination among the member states. The countries have also agreed to enhance defence capabilities and cooperation through joint activities, defence industry collaboration and joint technology development and production. Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced after the August 31 meeting that the trilateral agreement would be known as the “Makkah Defence Alliance” and that its secretariat would be established in Riyadh, with the first secretary general to be appointed from Pakistan. The Foreign Office has described the agreement as defensive in nature, saying it is not directed against any country and is aimed at strengthening collective capabilities and cooperation against external aggression. Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood has been awarded the Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military). The general secretariat in Riyadh will serve as the alliance’s central administrative and coordination structure for implementing the agreement and advancing defence cooperation among the three member states.

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