Pakistan has appointed retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood as the first secretary general of the alliance established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, as the three countries move to institutionalise their defence cooperation.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office announced the appointment on Wednesday, saying Mahmood will lead the General Secretariat of the alliance being established in Riyadh.
The appointment follows the Aug. 7 signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. The agreement provides for collective defence cooperation, with an armed attack against one member treated as an attack against all three, according to official and Pakistani media reports.
The three countries have since moved to establish an institutional structure for implementing the agreement. At a Strategic Political and Defence Committee meeting in Istanbul on Aug. 31, the countries agreed that a secretariat would be established in Saudi Arabia and initially headed by a Pakistani secretary general for three years.
Mahmood’s military background
Mahmood previously held senior command and strategic positions in the Pakistan Army. He commanded the Peshawar Corps and also served as president of the National Defence University, according to Pakistani media reports.
His appointment gives Pakistan the initial leadership of the alliance’s permanent administrative structure, with the secretariat in Riyadh expected to provide a mechanism for coordination among the three member states.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office has previously said the Makkah agreement is intended to strengthen regional peace and stability and formalise aspects of the countries’ existing defence cooperation.
The Foreign Office has also said Pakistan is committed to implementing both the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, while operational details concerning when, where and how military force could be used remain confidential.
Appointment comes amid regional tensions
Mahmood’s appointment comes as Saudi Arabia faces renewed security tensions linked to attacks attributed to Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Pakistan has publicly condemned the attacks and reiterated its support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a message marking Saudi National Day on Sept. 23, said Pakistan stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and the sanctity of Islam’s holiest sites.
Sharif also referred to the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in September 2025 and the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed this year as part of the strengthening strategic relationship between the two countries.
The Pakistani government has not announced any new military deployment to Saudi Arabia in connection with the latest escalation. Nor has it publicly specified what military action it might take under the agreements if Riyadh formally requested assistance.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office has instead stressed both its defence commitments and its preference for diplomatic efforts to address wider regional tensions.
The creation of the Riyadh-based secretariat and appointment of Mahmood represent the next institutional step in implementing the trilateral agreement, while the precise operational arrangements of the defence framework remain undisclosed.