The Turkish defence ministry published photographs of the three military officials in uniform, stating that the meeting had taken place, without disclosing where.

However, Turkiye’s Defence Ministry earlier said its Chief of General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu would travel to Saudi Arabia for the meeting.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of the kingdom being dragged into fresh fighting between the Houthis and the Yemeni government, with the former declaring a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and targeting its ships in the Red Sea. In recent weeks, Houthis have also carried out attacks in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, the Foreign Office (FO) in Islamabad had shared that the three countries were mulling a military chiefs’ meeting to consider ways to assist Riyadh under the Makkah pact.

The FO statement came after Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a discussion on the defence pact with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In the statement, the FO noted that the tripartite agreement, signed on Aug 7, stipulated that an attack against any one of its parties should be considered an attack against all parties.

In their New York meeting, the foreign ministers of the three countries condemned in the “strongest terms the heinous attacks targeting the holy city of Makkah and civilian and economic facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”, the FO statement said.

At the same time, it added, the ministers “commended the vigilance of the Saudi armed forces and their ability to defend the kingdom’s security”.

“They reaffirmed the kingdom’s right to take such measures as it deems appropriate to defend its security, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.”

They further discussed the current situation in the region, underscoring the importance of upholding the principles of international law, good neighbourliness, mutual respect for the sovereignty of states, and non-interference in their internal affairs, as well as ensuring the security and freedom of navigation, the statement said.

Moreover, they reiterated their determination to work together towards achieving sustainable peace and stability in the region, support efforts towards de-escalation and encourage peaceful resolution to crises.

During the meeting, the ministers also reviewed progress made towards establishing the general secretariat and committees and working groups under the Makkah agreement, as well as preparations for the commencement of their work, the FO statement said.

Earlier in the day, Dar also posted on X: “Under the framework of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA), we reviewed progress towards establishing the institutional structures under the agreement and exchanged views on regional and international security issues.”

The Makkah Defence Alliance’s inaugural meeting was held on Aug 31, where officials from all member states met in Istanbul to establish the institutional structure of the alliance, and Pakistan was picked to head its secretariat in Riyadh. Retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood has been appointed as the first secretary general.

Pakistan expresses solidarity with Saudi Arabia

A day earlier, Saudi Arabia intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis after issuing warnings for several regions, including Makkah. This was the second time that a warning was issued for the holy city in the last two weeks.

As Yemen’s Houthi rebels continue to attack Saudi Arabia, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Sept 18 said that Pakistan would go to “any extent” to defend Saudi Arabia, adding that Islamabad’s commitment to the kingdom’s security was “unconditional”.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also vowed to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its sovereignty and security.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman this week denounced the Houthis as a “terrorist militia” in a rare statement. He condemned the Houthi attempt “to target Makkah”, calling it “a provocation to Muslims around the world”, according to the official Saudi news agency.

Additional input from Reuters.

“Water must never be weaponised. Rivers should nourish nations, not divide them. Therefore, any attempt to stop, impede or divert Pakistan’s share of the waters will be treated as an act of war. India must make no mistake about it,” he said.

The premier was addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

“The pursuit of peace is among the noblest of human endeavours,” the premier began his speech by saying, adding that Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s declaration of support for the UN Charter had shaped Pakistan’s national ethos and “guided our conduct at home and abroad”.

He addressed the conflict in the Gulf region and wider Middle East, highlighting the loss of lives, economic suffering and pressure faced by critical maritime routes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz.

“At this critical moment, Pakistan chose to act swiftly. Through concerted efforts, Pakistan brought Washington and Tehran under one roof in Islamabad,” PM Shehbaz said, referring to the Islamabad Talks that resulted in the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding by the United States and Iran in June.

In this regard, he appreciated Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, whose “relentless efforts helped create space for diplomacy under exceptionally difficult and challenging circumstances”. He also extended his appreciation to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for his role in the process.

“Amid the roar of missiles, drones and guns, the voice for diplomacy must echo even louder and stronger,” the premier stated.

“The Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab are arteries of the global economy. They must remain open, connecting nations, not becoming choke points of confrontation.”

He also condemned, “in the strongest possible terms”, the recent attacks by the Houthis against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, calling them “deplorable”. He expressed Pakistan’s complete solidarity with Saudi Arabia.

He also highlighted the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia as a reflection of Pakistan’s commitment to peace.

“This alliance is not directed against any country; it is a collective commitment for defence, stability and peace in the region, and nothing more,” he stressed.

PM Shehbaz also addressed last year’s conflict with India, which was driven by a terror attack in Pahalgam that New Delhi blamed on Islamabad, which denied the allegations.

“Our brave and valiant armed forces, under the courageous leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir, responded with precision and professionalism,” he said.

He once again praised US President Donald Trump’s “resolute and visionary leadership” in brokering a ceasefire between the two countries in May 2025, stressing that it saved “hundreds of millions of lives”.

“Who knows the extent of devastation that could have taken place had President Trump not stepped in at this critical moment with clarity of thought and action?” he said.

“We must therefore ensure that South Asia never reaches this precipice ever again.”

This, however, the premier added, required a fair resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

“For eight decades, the Kashmiri people have waited for the United Nations to fulfill its solemn commitment of a free and impartial plebiscite,” he pointed out, adding that they had endured “illegal occupation, arbitrary detention, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, sexual violence and collective punishment” for generations.

He declared that Pakistan would continue to extend its full diplomatic, political and moral support to Kashmiris until they were granted their right to self-determination, terming Kashmir “Pakistan’s jugular vein”.

The prime minister also called attention to India’s unilateral decision to hold the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in abeyance since last year’s conflict, stressing that it had no legal basis.

He highlighted that the country’s claims and actions regarding the treaty had been rejected by UN experts as well as by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, leaving Pakistan “vindicated beyond any ray of doubt” in its position.

“Water must never be weaponised. Rivers should nourish nations, not divide them,” he stressed, calling the Indus river system the “lifeblood” of the entire region.

He added that any attempt to stop, impede or divert Pakistan’s share of the waters would be regarded as an act of war by India.

During his address, PM Shehbaz also restated Pakistan’s support for Palestine, expressing his concern for ongoing Israeli violence in Gaza and the West Bank as well as its continued aggression against Lebanon and Syria. In particular, he noted that the forcible eviction of Palestinians in the West Bank “clearly reflects Israel’s genocidal agenda”.

“Pakistan believes that the only just and lasting solution is the creation of an independent, sovereign, viable and contiguous State of Palestine, based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” he reaffirmed.

The premier also termed terrorism a grave threat to international peace and security, emphasising that Pakistan had sacrificed “almost 100,000 precious lives” and suffered economic losses of over $150 billion in combating terrorism.

He added that Afghan territory continued to be exploited by the TTP and the BLA. These foreign-funded groups operated from sanctuaries in Afghanistan intending to destabilise Pakistan, he said.

He called on Afghan authorities to halt all such attacks, fulfill their international commitments and take “verifiable, decisive action to ensure that Afghan soil is never again used against Pakistan or any other country”.

The premier briefly touched on the rise of Islamophobia in his speech, specifically calling attention to “RSS-driven Hinddutva ideology” that he said was fanning religious hatred. He stressed that this hatred must have “no place in this world”.

He also praised UN peacekeeping as “one of the strongest expressions” of collective security, noting Pakistani men and women’s role in protecting civilians and helping countries emerge from conflict.

On the topic of Pakistan’s economic revival, he said that the government had restored macroeconomic stability and was moving towards sustainable and inclusive growth. He highlighted Pakistan’s close relations with China, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and paid tribute to Chinese President Xi Jinping for spearheading initiatives for global development, security, civilisation and governance.

PM Shehbaz additionally called on developed countries to honour their climate-finance commitments and ensure support for adaptation and resilience, stressing that Pakistan repeatedly bore consequences for climate change despite contributing less than one per cent of global emissions.

More to follow

The government on Friday increased the price of petrol by Rs2.02 per litre, but reduced that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs3.59 per litre.

Following the revision, petrol will retail at Rs391.30 per litre, while HSD will cost Rs408.53 per litre. The government continues to levy Rs114 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs100 per litre on diesel.

According to the Petroleum Division’s notification, the new prices will be applicable from Sept 26 (Saturday) to Sept 28 (Monday).

The price of HSD has come down from a peak of Rs520.35 recorded on April 3. Its price had started rising from Rs281 per litre after the US-Iran war broke out on February 28.

The petrol price had peaked at Rs458.41 on April 3 after beginning its upward trajectory from Rs266 in the first week of March.

Meanwhile, the government has reintroduced a raft of austerity measures in response to rising fuel prices amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. Under these measures, markets are required to close by 9pm and fuel allocations for official vehicles has been cut by 50 per cent for three months.

On September 13, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also announced a “relief scheme” for users of motorcycles, autos and vehicles of up to 800cc to “alleviate the burden” of rising global oil prices.

Previously, on July 17, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik announced that fuel prices would now be fixed on a daily basis due to fluctuations in international market prices following renewed hostilities between Iran and the US.

Prior to this, the government had been announcing weekly revisions to fuel prices since early March, alongside measures for the conservation of fuel amid possible oil supply disruptions due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The federal government in April also announced targeted relief measures to provide subsidised fuel.

The petroleum minister stated that the cabinet and the prime minister had decided to give the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) the responsibility of deciding fuel prices on a daily basis based on international market trends.

Petrol is mainly used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws and two-wheelers, and changes in its price affect the middle and lower-middle classes.

Similarly, changes in diesel prices also impact the public at large, as it is mainly used in the heavy transport sector, power plants and large generators.

Petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) are the major revenue earners, with monthly sales of about 700,000 to 800,000 tonnes, compared to just 10,000 tonnes of monthly demand for kerosene.