Pakistan

Mecca defense signees converging to discuss Houthi threat after Baghaei warns of escalation

The meeting comes a day after Iranian FM Esmail Baghaei said he hoped a “rumor” that Pakistan had deployed troops to Saudi Arabia was untrue, warning that intervention would complicate the situation.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by their ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence, pose after signing a joint defense agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.
A migrant woman from Afghanistan sits at the Macedonian-Serbian border near the village of Tabanovce, Macedonia February 24, 2016.

Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, UAE back railway linking Central Asia to Pakistan’s seaports

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chat after signing a joint defense agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.

Saudi Arabia turns to Pakistan, Turkey as US refuses to intervene against Houthi threat - analysis

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and other officials pose before the first committee meeting for the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, in Istanbul, Turkey, August 31, 2026.

Turkey says Mecca pact committee to meet in Riyadh on October 5


US VP Vance says Iran war 'will end immediately after the election'

US Vice President JD Vance says the Iran war will enter a 'different phase' after the midterms in an interview on Air Force Two.

Vice President JD Vance arrives at Joint Base Andrews Tuesday, 15th September 2026

UN monitoring findings point to continued al-Qaeda activity 25 years after 9/11 - analysis

Although al-Qaeda’s senior leadership is marginalized and its capability and intent to conduct external operations remain unclear, the organization has survived through adaptation.

Supporters of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden shout anti-American slogans, after the news of his death, during a rally in Quetta May 2, 2011.

Pakistan orders Afghan medical students home, bars new Afghan admissions

In a statement released Tuesday night, the Afghan Embassy said the decision would have a significant impact on the academic progress and future of Afghan students.

Ali Nawaz, a resident of Bannu, receives medical treatment at the Lady Reading Hospital after being injured in a cross-border attack, amid fighting between Pakistani and Afghan forces, in Peshawar, Pakistan, March 3, 2026.

Pakistan warns Iran to rein in Houthis as Riyadh strikes back

The Houthis struck an airbase in Khamis Mushait and oil infrastructure in nearby cities on Tuesday, wounding 73 people, in one of the biggest attacks on Saudi Arabia since the start of the war.

Members of Houthi security forces sit on a rock at the site of a rally held to commemorate Mawlid, marking the anniversary of Prophet Muhammad's birthday, in Sanaa, Yemen, August 25, 2026.

Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia is a test of new Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan pact - analysis

Now there are questions about whether Pakistan or Turkey will respond to the Houthi attacks. Both Pakistan and Turkey have been wary of any conflict with Iran.

Houthi strike on Saudi forces.

India confronts a new regional security equation as Mecca pact takes shape - analysis

Kuwait invoked the UN Charter’s self-defense provision after Iranian attacks, while the Mecca alliance’s mutual-defense clause has not been publicly tested

TURKISH PRESIDENT Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, pose after signing a joint defense agreement in Mecca, August 7, 2026.

US authorities on the hunt for four Pakistanis in $770 million Medicare fraud case

the four allegedly used a call center operated under the name Hello International Marketing Solutions (HIMS) to obtain Medicare beneficiary information, including identification numbers.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services building is seen in Washington, DC.

Turkey and Pakistan are growing closer, but where does China fit in? - opinion

Turkey, Pakistan and China are forging a new security triangle. The Middle East should pay attention.

China's Information Support Force (ISF) personnel march during a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2025.

Turkish FM calls Netanyahu 'enemy of humanity,' claims Mecca agreement not directed at any country

"The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is not directed against a specific country," Fidan said, adding that the member states are considering establishing a mechanism to add new members.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and other officials pose before the first committee meeting for the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, in Istanbul, Turkey, August 31, 2026.

Regional geopolitical shifts felt as Mecca agreement, Israel-Greek pacts develop - analysis

The two events happening on the same day are a coincidence, because both have been in the works for some time. However, it is symbolic of how the Middle East is being reshaped.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud prepare to pose for a picture before the first committee meeting under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement.