DG ISPR Confirms Pakistani Troops Serving in Saudi Arabia
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry says Pakistani military contingents have remained stationed in Saudi Arabia for decades, reflecting longstanding defence ties as cooperation continues under evolving bilateral and trilateral security frameworks.
ISLAMABAD: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has confirmed the presence of Pakistani military contingents in Saudi Arabia, saying personnel from Pakistan have been stationed in the Kingdom for decades as part of longstanding defence cooperation between the two countries.
Pakistani Military Presence Predates Makkah Agreement
Speaking during an interview with CNN, the military spokesperson said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share defence relations stretching back several decades and that Pakistani contingents currently present in the Kingdom represent different military domains.
His remarks come as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye continue developing cooperation under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed by the three countries in Makkah Al-Mukarramah on August 7, 2026.
The agreement established a framework for collective defence and expanded military cooperation among Islamabad, Riyadh and Ankara. According to the official text issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an armed assault on any one of the three countries is to be regarded as one against all three, while the agreement is described by the participating governments as defensive in nature.
The latest comments by the DG ISPR also underline that Pakistan’s military presence in Saudi Arabia should not be viewed as beginning with the Makkah agreement.
Longstanding Pakistan-Saudi Defence Cooperation
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have maintained extensive military-to-military cooperation for decades, encompassing training, capacity building, exercises and other defence-related activities. Pakistan’s Foreign Office has previously confirmed that Pakistani forces were already stationed in Saudi Arabia for training and logistical purposes under longstanding bilateral arrangements.
Pakistan also has a separate Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia, signed on September 17, 2025. During a Foreign Office briefing on September 17 this year, the spokesperson confirmed that deployments had taken place under bilateral cooperation but declined to disclose operational details.
Trilateral Defence Framework Takes Shape
The trilateral Makkah framework has meanwhile moved toward greater institutionalisation. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye held the inaugural meeting of its Strategic Political and Defence Committee in Istanbul on August 31, where they agreed to strengthen collective deterrence, defence cooperation and military cohesion.
The three countries also agreed to establish a permanent secretariat in Saudi Arabia, initially headed by a Pakistani secretary general for three years.
Pakistani officials have repeatedly stressed that the Makkah agreement is defensive rather than directed against any particular state. The Foreign Office has said cooperation includes training, capacity building, exchange of military expertise, defence technology and research, alongside mechanisms intended to strengthen regional security.
Defence Partnership Continues to Evolve
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said the presence of Pakistani military personnel in Saudi Arabia reflects the depth and continuity of defence relations between the two countries, with cooperation extending across multiple military domains.
His comments also highlight that Pakistan’s military engagement with Saudi Arabia predates the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, while the new trilateral framework with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye provides an additional mechanism for expanding coordination, training and broader defence cooperation.
The DG ISPR’s remarks reinforce Islamabad’s position that its defence partnership with Riyadh is longstanding and continues to evolve through both bilateral arrangements and the emerging trilateral security framework.
