Islamabad, 8 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has confirmed the presence of Pakistani troops in Saudi Arabia, saying their deployment in the kingdom dates back several decades. Speaking in an interview with CNN, the military spokesperson said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had maintained longstanding defence ties, with Pakistani personnel stationed in Saudi Arabia for decades. Lt Gen Chaudhry said Pakistani personnel deployed under the Makkah agreement belonged to different domains and that the longstanding defence relationship between the two countries remained an important component of their security cooperation. He said Pakistan had also reaffirmed its commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security, with Islamabad standing by the kingdom diplomatically and physically, including its commitment to protecting the holy sites in Makkah and Madinah. The remarks come amid the implementation of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, which Pakistan’s military has described as a defensive arrangement aimed at collective deterrence and regional stability.