The Mecca defence pact was signed on August 7 Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye have agreed to immediately implement their collective defence commitments and ensure the “rapid deployment” of agreed military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia, following an emergency meeting of the three countries’ Mecca Defence Alliance in Riyadh.The decision was announced in a … Read more
The Mecca defence pact was signed on August 7 Pakistan on Wednesday appointed a former Pakistan Army officer as the first secretary-general of the country’s trilateral Mecca pact with Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.Lieutenant general Nauman Mahmood (retired) will head the alliance’s general secretariat, which is being established in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.“The government of Pakistan is … Read more
File photo: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud The Mecca pact may promise “one for all, all for one”, but Pakistan is not putting boots on the ground just yet.Islamabad on Sunday expressed “complete solidarity” with Saudi Arabia after a fresh wave of Houthi attacks on the … Read more
Pakistan warns Houthis that its defence alliance with Saudi Arabia and Turkey Pakistan warned Tuesday that its newly formed defence alliance with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye could be activated if the conflict in Yemen spills into Saudi territory, saying there should be “no ambiguity” that an attack on any one of the three members would … Read more
More than 1.5 million Muslims began the annual hajj pilgrimage in a vast tent city in the holy city of Mecca on Monday in hopes of an end to the wars in the Middle East. As the direction of the war hangs in the balance, pilgrims begin their pilgrimage Pilgrims clad in white robes perform … Read more
To escape the harsh sun, Inas Gamal abandoned ambitious plans to pray at Mecca’s Grand Mosque in the days leading up to the hajj and retreated to the comfort of an air-conditioned hotel room for daytime prayers. With ice cream and giant fans, pilgrims battle sweltering heat Despite traveling all the way from Egypt to … Read more
Going for Hajj in 2026? These new Saudi visa dates may affect your plans (representative image) Saudi ArabiaThe Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has officially started issuing visas for the 2026 Hajj season (1447 AH), with the process launching on February 8, 2026, several months ahead of the expected Hajj in late May 2026. This … Read more
From the 9th century to today: The Blue Quran finds a home in Mecca museum In a landmark cultural moment in Islamic art and history, the Holy Qur’an Museum in Mecca’s Al-Hira Cultural District opens a special exhibition of the legendary “Blue Quran” (Al-Muṣḥaf al-Azraq) folio, one of the rarest and most lavish Qur’anic manuscripts … Read more