Director General ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said reaching a negotiated outcome to the Middle East conflict was essential, adding that the Makkah Alliance’s collective deterrence would come into action if a negotiated solution failed and military confrontation occurred.

In an interview with an Arab television channel, he said the Makkah joint defence agreement had progressed within a very short time and reflected the shared thinking of three countries.

He said Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and the protection of the Two Holy Mosques were Pakistan’s foremost priorities. There could be no compromise on protecting the Two Holy Mosques, he added. Pakistan’s position was clear and unequivocal, and its message had already been conveyed through the political leadership and the field marshal.

The DG ISPR said attacks on holy sites had caused intense anger among the public and the political and military leadership. He added that no country would benefit from escalating conflicts at any level.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said further expansion of the military conflict in the Middle East was in nobody’s interest and that reaching an outcome through negotiations was essential. He reiterated that the Makkah Alliance’s collective deterrence would come into action if a negotiated solution failed and military confrontation occurred. He said the alliance’s leadership and course of action made clear that it had no aggressive intentions.

The Pakistan Army spokesperson said Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye believed in peace, stability and prosperity in the region. The alliance was not directed against any particular country; its purpose was to promote regional peace, stability and security. He added that Muslims needed to unite rather than fight one another.