Pakistani minister calls for NATO-like alliance of Islamic countries

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday called for Islamic countries to form a Nato-like military alliance, saying a new pact signed in Mecca by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey should expand beyond an “exclusive club.”

Asif made the remarks in an interview with Geo News, a day after the three countries signed the defence agreement, The Times of India reported. “See, we can't close the doors for other countries. This shouldn't be an exclusive club. This is my personal opinion. It should expand,” he said.

“I think Muslim countries should keep their differences, transactional or bilateral disputes aside, on the lines of Nato and stand together,” Asif added. The pact reportedly commits the three countries to regard an armed attack against any one of them as an attack against all three, drawing comparisons with Nato's Article 5 collective-defence principle.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said the agreement is “guided by the longstanding historical ties among the three states” and their shared strategic interests, defence cooperation and “enduring bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity.” A joint statement said the agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence against aggression.

The Times of India said the pact comes as Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries face missile attacks and disruptions to energy shipments amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran and its regional allies. A Turkish official said the agreement was purely defensive, was not directed at any particular country, remained open to other regional nations and would not replace existing security arrangements.