RAWALPINDI: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has confirmed the presence of Pakistani troops in Saudi Arabia, saying Pakistani military personnel have been stationed in the kingdom for several decades.
In an interview with CNN, the DG ISPR said the Pakistani troops deployed in Saudi Arabia under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement have been assigned various responsibilities.
His remarks come amid renewed attention to military cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia following recent developments involving the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
According to the Foreign Office, an emergency meeting of the alliance’s Strategic Political and Defence Committee was held in Riyadh on Monday, with representatives from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye participating.
The meeting decided to make immediate progress on collective defence commitments and to provide the necessary military forces and capabilities for rapid deployment to Saudi Arabia.
A joint statement issued after the meeting said the security of the three countries was an integral part of their collective security.
The statement added that translating the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement into practical measures demonstrated the three countries’ commitment to collective defence.
The confirmation of Pakistani troops’ longstanding presence in Saudi Arabia comes as Islamabad, Riyadh and Ankara continue to strengthen their defence and security cooperation.
