Emergency meeting under Makkah Pact to review Saudi situation next week: Dar

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said that an emergency meeting will be held next week under the Makkah Agreement.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Dar said that there was no one among them who would not be willing to sacrifice their life for the protection of the two holy mosques.

He said that an emergency meeting would be held next week under the Makkah Agreement to review the latest situation. The prevailing situation in Saudi Arabia would also be discussed during the meeting.

The deputy prime minister and foreign minister said that more than six countries wanted to join the Makkah Defence Pact.

He said that Saudi Arabia had come under 17 to 18 attacks and that Pakistan was bound to defend Saudi Arabia.

Dar further said that the UN Charter also allows such alliances to take action, adding that NATO operates on a similar model.

The foreign minister said that a meeting had been held on August 31 under the Makkah Agreement, during which the first secretary-general was decided. He said Pakistan had proposed the name of Lieutenant General (retd) Nauman Mahmood, describing him as a highly capable and religiously devout officer.

Speaking about the Iran-US conflict, Dar said Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi both wanted the matter to end in some way. He said both sides were making efforts to secure maximum gains.

Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Dar said there should be no fee or service charge for the movement of ships through the waterway.

Talking about the rescue operation involving a vessel whose crew members were taken hostage by Somali pirates, the deputy prime minister said Somali authorities had fought the pirates and secured the release of the hostages. Unfortunately, three Pakistanis were also killed in the incident.

Dar said four injured people would arrive in Karachi tomorrow. He added that every effort was being made to bring the bodies of Rafiullah, Kashif Umar and Mahmood Ansari back to Pakistan within two to three days.

He said Imran Ali, Yasir Ali and Yousuf Hussain were on board the ship.