Pakistan to lead 'Islamic Nato' for 3 years; Mecca pact members hold first meet

File photo: Turkish President Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince MBS and Pakistani PM Shabaz Sharif, during the signing of the Mecca PactSaudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan on Monday agreed to set up a secretariat in Saudi Arabia under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.According to Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry, the general secretariat will be led by Pakistan in its first phase for three years.This comes as top officials from Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will gather in Istanbul on Monday for the first committee meeting under the joint defence agreement.On August 7, the three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, which brought together the three Sunni Muslim-majority US allies.The pact seeks to strengthen defence cooperation and collective deterrence among the three countries, t