Pakistan names retired Lt Gen Nauman Mahmood first Makkah alliance secretary general
The Foreign Office said Lt Gen (retd) Nauman Mahmood will lead the alliance's new General Secretariat in Riyadh, established under the tripartite pact with Turkiye and Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan has appointed Lieutenant General (retired) Nauman Mahmood as the first secretary general of the Makkah Defence Alliance, the Foreign Office announced on Wednesday. The move establishes the alliance's first top administrative post, with the General Secretariat to be based in Riyadh.
According to a Foreign Office handout carried by Dawn, the appointment was made under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which is the alliance's initial name. The agreement links Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia. The secretary general will lead the General Secretariat being established in the Saudi capital.
“The government of Pakistan is pleased to announce the appointment of Lt Gen Nauman Mahmood, Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military), (retired), as the first secretary general pursuant to the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement,” the Foreign Office said in the statement, as quoted by Dawn. The quote was part of a brief handout that gave no additional operational detail.
The announcement follows a confirmation last month by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan that the secretary general of the tripartite defence pact would come from Pakistan, Geo News reported. Both Dawn and Geo News carried the announcement on Wednesday. Geo News described the story as developing and said it was being updated with more details.
Lt Gen Mahmood holds the Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military). The Foreign Office did not immediately announce when the new secretary general would take charge or give details of the secretariat's staff, budget or working language.
The Makkah Defence Alliance brings together Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia. The three governments have described it as a framework for defence cooperation, though full details of how the secretariat will operate alongside existing military channels have not been made public. The post is the first of its kind since the agreement was signed.
No further information on the selection process or the secretary general's mandate was immediately available from the Foreign Office. The announcement was made from Islamabad.
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