Pakistan-based defence analysts believe that the trilateral defence agreement concluded between Pakistan, Turkiye, and Saudi Arabia may substantially diminish the strategic influence of the United States in West Asia.
Pakistan, Turkiye, and Saudi Arabia on Friday signed a "Mecca Joint Defence Agreement" stipulating that any attack on one of the three nations will be regarded as an attack on all, against the backdrop of mounting security concerns and rising tensions in West Asia.
Defence analyst Abdullah Hameed Gul, the son of a former ISI chief, stated that the agreement arose amid increasing skepticism in the Gulf regarding the United States' capacity to offer reliable security assurances to its regional partners.
The United States maintained 27 military bases across the Gulf states, 17 of which were destroyed by Iran during the recent US-Iran conflict. This prompted people in the region to doubt whether the Americans were truly capable of defending them, thereby creating the demand for such an agreement, Gul said.
With the new pact, America's "role in the region has been minimised or is effectively over", he said.
Gul further claimed that Qatar and Kuwait could soon pursue similar agreements with Pakistan, observing that the Gulf nations now regard Israel, rather than Iran, as the primary danger to their security.
Foreign affairs specialist Muhammad Mehdi stated that the agreement has altered how Pakistan’s role is viewed on the global stage.
Pakistan’s position on the global stage has shifted. The international community now regards Pakistan as a key player in the Middle East and Central Asia. With Turkiye becoming part of the three-country framework, Pakistan will also be perceived differently in Europe, he said.
Retired Brigadier Farooq Hameed said the provision under which an attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all three could act as a "deterrent" against any future conflict involving Pakistan and India.
