Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi pact a 'Muslim NATO?': 5 things to know

DefenseExperts say Egypt, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Jordan and Syria could be candidatesTurkish President Tayyip Erdogan, center-left; Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, center; and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, fifth from right, perform a Friday Prayer at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on Aug. 7. (Photo from Saudi Press Agency's X post)SINAN TAVSANAugust 11, 2026 19:17 JSTISTANBUL -- Leaders from Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia met in Mecca on Friday and agreed to establish a defense alliance. However, the operational details haven't been announced, leaving room for experts to guess how effective the agreement could be.