Makkah | Pakistan

Says Turkiye has completed preparations to submit the Makkah defence agreement to parliament for approval

Both discuss 'sinful attacks' that targeted Makkah, civilian and economic facilities in the Kingdom

Makkah pact being 'institutionalised'

Says Türkiye will discuss Saudi Arabia attacks with Pakistan under Makkah defence pact framework

Pakistan has strongly condemned the reported attempt to target Makkah and ongoing Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, reaffirming its support for the kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Makkah pact purely defensive, says ISPR

Khalilur Rahman tells parliament Makkah pact is Muslim world’s ‘self-defence mechanism’

Turkey lays out plans for Makkah pact

Egypt likely to join Makkah pact, says Turkish FM

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on Friday signed a joint defence pact in Makkah that empowers member states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them. The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which seeks to strengthen the collective security of the three states, was signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince and PM Mohammad bin Salman, and Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the “Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence” held at Al-Safa Palace. Since the signing, experts, political figures and commentators have offered their views on the agreement, with many describing it as a significant regional development and a historic moment for the three countries. ‘Historic day’: Attaullah Tarar Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, while talking to a private TV channel, described the signing of the joint defence agreement between the three states as a “historic day” for Pakistan, saying the pact reflected growing recognition of the country’s defence capabiliti...

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on Friday signed a joint defence pact in Makkah that empowers member states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on Friday signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement aimed at strengthening “collective deterrence against any act of aggression”, the Foreign Office (FO) said. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince and PM Mohammed bin Salman, and Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the pact after the “Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence” was held at the Al-Safa Palace. The agreement reflects the three countries’ “shared commitment to further strengthening their collective security and to promoting peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond, in pursuit of a secure and prosperous future”, the FO said. “The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three states s...

ISLAMABAD - Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met Muslim World League (MWL) Secretary-General Mohammed Al-Issa in Makkah, discussing Islamic and regional affairs and praising Saudi Arabia’s efforts in serving millions of pilgrims during this year’s Hajj, the organization said in a social media post on Friday.

Over 1.5 million Muslims began filling a vast tent city in Makkah on Monday for the annual Haj pilgrimage. The white-robed pilgrims on buses or on foot arrived at the sprawling encampment in Mina after performing the tawaf. This year’s rites, drawing Muslim worshippers from across the world, including Iran, follow waves of attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbours. A Saudi security officer speaks to Muslim pilgrims at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Haj pilgrimage, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia on May 20, 2026. — Reuters Members of the Saudi security forces take part in a military parade in preparation for the annual Haj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia on May 21, 2026. — Reuters Members of the Saudi security forces take part in a military parade in preparation for the annual Haj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia on May 21, 2026. — Reuters Members of the Saudi security forces hold a demonstration during a military parade in preparation for...

The first Hajj flight under the Road to Makkah project departed from Islamabad International Airport on Sunday, marking the start of this year’s Hajj operations from Pakistan.

More than a million pilgrims poured into the holy city of Makkah ahead of the annual Haj, with authorities vowing to hold a safer pilgrimage amid searing desert heat and a massive crackdown on illegal visitors. Officials have beefed up heat mitigation measures, hoping to avoid a repeat of last year’s Haj, which saw 1,301 pilgrims die as temperatures reached 51.8 degrees Celsius. Temperatures were forecast to exceed 40 degrees Celsius this week as one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings starts on Wednesday. The Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be performed at least once by all Muslims with the means to do so. As of Friday, more than 1.3 million pilgrims had arrived in Saudi Arabia for the multi-day pilgrimage, according to officials. This year, authorities have mobilised more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 officials, doubling their efforts against heat-related illness following the lethal heatwave of 2024. Shaded areas have been expanded by 50,000 square metres (12 acres), th...

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s authorities arrested 14 persons for facilitating dozens of individuals to perform Hajj without permits, local media reported. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior said that Hajj Security Forces at the Makkah entrance points detained five foreigners and nine Saudi nationals for transporting 44 people without Hajj licenses, in violation of Hajj laws. Strict […]

The first of 180 Pakistani Hajj flights scheduled to fly to Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah — part of the Road to Makkah Initiative — arrived at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport from Islamabad carrying 310 Haj pilgrims, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported today. Launched in 2019 at the Islamabad airport and later extended to Karachi, the Road to Makkah initiative offers an exemption to Haj pilgrims from the immigration process at Saudi airports by clearing them at their respective airports in Pakistan by Saudi immigration officials before boarding their flights. Marking the second phase of the initiative, the passengers were received at the airport by Minister of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, Consul General of Pakistan in Jeddah Khalid Majid, DG Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro and the senior officers of the Consulate General of Pakistan. The pilgrims were presented bouqets by the receiving party. This year, an estimated 50,500 Haj pilgrims will travel to Saudi Arabia under the in...