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Former Union Minister MJ Akbar sought US clarity over the future direction of the recent "Mecca Pact," seeking clear answers on whether the military agreement is evolving into an "Islamic NATO."
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Akbar directly addressed recent endorsements made by US President Donald Trump, who hailed the trilateral security arrangement as a "big, bold, and important first step." Reflecting on the US President's statements, Akbar questioned the broader strategy driving the deal. "President Trump has also described the recent Mecca Pact, and he did so perhaps in the last 24 or 48 hours, as a big, bold, and important first step. The question is, what is the second step? The question is, where is this pact heading? What is the third step?" he said. Highlighting concerns over regional security dynamics, Akbar questioned whether the trilateral pact would transform into a broader collective defence framework. "Is this pact heading towards the much-wanted, if slightly illusory, Islamic NATO? We need clarification on that," added Akbar. He emphasised that any functional military pact requires a well-defined shared adversary. "A military pact must be based on a clear definition of the enemy. Who is the enemy of the three countries?" Demanding full transparency regarding Washington's endorsement of the agreement, Akbar added, "It is very important that America, which clearly has sponsored this alliance or endorsed this alliance, gives us the clarity that is very urgently required." Formally executed in Mecca on August 7 by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement establishes a structured mutual defence treaty. The accord mandates that an armed attack against any single signatory will be treated as an attack against all three, while promoting joint tactical exercises, military-industrial collaboration, and defence technology sharing. US President Donald Trump publicly welcomed the agreement on Truth Social, posting that he was "very happy" to see the countries come together so they can "finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way." While the three member nations insist the pact is strictly defensive and not aimed at creating a sectarian bloc, Turkish President Erdogan noted the alliance could expand to include nations like Egypt and indicated that the trilateral agreement sends an important signal to the international community. (ANI)
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