We Are Ready to Sacrifice Our Lives for the Two Holy Mosques
(Asghar Ali Mubarak)
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, has stated that there is no one among us who would not be willing to sacrifice their life for the Two Holy Mosques. A meeting of the Strategic Political Defense Committee (SPDC)—established under the Makkah Defense Pact—is scheduled to take place in Riyadh next week. The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister noted that more than six countries wish to join the Makkah Defense Pact. Saudi Arabia has faced 17 to 18 attacks, and we are committed to its defense; the UN Charter permits such alliances to take action, and NATO operates on a similar model. A meeting under the Makkah Pact was held on August 31 to decide on the first Secretary General; we proposed the name of Lieutenant General (Retd) Nauman Mahmood, who is an excellent and pious officer. Expressing concern over the escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, Ishaq Dar mentioned that Iran has proposed resolving the issue of Houthi attacks from Yemen through dialogue rather than military action. This proposal will be deliberated upon at the upcoming meeting of the special committee comprising member states of the ‘Makkah Defense Alliance.’ During a news briefing in Islamabad regarding the Pakistani delegation’s engagements, Ishaq Dar stated that Iran has distanced itself from the recent actions of the Houthis and Iraqi militias, affirming its desire to see an end to this crisis. Ishaq Dar further stated that he had apprised Tehran of the nature of the ‘Mecca Agreement’ and clarified that Pakistan would fulfill all its obligations under this defense pact. He added that a proposal had emerged from Iran regarding the establishment of political ties with the Houthis; however, he clarified that this was not a formal or written offer from Iran but rather a suggestion raised during informal consultations between the foreign ministers of the two countries. The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the upcoming meeting of the Mecca Defense Alliance, scheduled for next week, is of an urgent nature. According to him, the meeting in Riyadh will review the current situation and ground realities—particularly concerning Saudi Arabia—and the three member nations will determine their future course of action. Responding to a question about the inclusion of additional countries in the Mecca Defense Agreement, Dar stated that at least six nations have expressed interest in joining, though he did not disclose their names. He indicated that it would take at least a year for the agreement to become fully operational, after which the inclusion of further countries would be possible.
It is worth noting that Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye signed the ‘Mecca Agreement’ on August 7 of this year; under this pact, an armed attack on any one of the three nations is to be considered an attack on all of them. Pursuant to the agreement, the military chiefs of the three countries held a significant meeting in Riyadh on September 25, during which they strongly condemned the attacks by Yemeni Houthis on Saudi Arabia. The inaugural meeting of the Mecca Defense Alliance’s ‘SPD Committee’ had previously taken place in Istanbul on August 31. It was decided during the meeting that Pakistan would initially head the alliance’s secretariat for a three-year term. Retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mehmood has been appointed as the alliance’s first Secretary-General. During the briefing, Ishaq Dar stated that UN Secretary-General António Guterres has accepted an invitation to visit Pakistan and may do so before his term ends on December 31. Addressing the Iran-US conflict, Dar noted that both Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi desire a resolution to the issue, with both parties striving to maximize their gains. Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Dar asserted that there should be no fees or service charges for the passage of ships. Speaking on the rescue operation for a ship seized by Somali pirates, the Deputy Prime Minister said that Somali authorities secured the release of the hostages after engaging the pirates; unfortunately, three Pakistanis lost their lives in the incident. Dar stated that four injured individuals would arrive in Karachi tomorrow, and every effort is being made to repatriate the bodies of Rafiullah, Kashif Umar, and Mahmood Ansari within two to three days. He added that Imran Ali, Yasir Ali, and Yousuf Hussain remain on the ship. Discussing Afghanistan, Dar expressed goodwill, stating that Pakistan’s only demand is that Afghan soil not be used against Pakistan; they must demonstrate action against the banned TTP, the banned BLA, and ‘Fitna-al-Hind’. Action has been taken against them. Speaking about Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to the United States, he noted that the Prime Minister held highly productive meetings in New York and addressed various topics in a well-reasoned manner during his speech at the United Nations. He stated that the Prime Minister presented the stance on Palestine in unequivocal terms and articulated the position on Kashmir with great boldness. The Deputy Prime Minister added that the hall erupted in applause multiple times during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s speech; he remarked that he had never witnessed a speech by any leader that drew such repeated applause.
