ISLAMABAD: The Government of Pakistan has appointed retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mehmood as the first Secretary General of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, according to an official announcement issued on September 23, 2026.
Nauman Mehmood will head the General Secretariat of the alliance, which is being established in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. His appointment follows an agreement by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye to establish a permanent secretariat for institutionalizing cooperation under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
Under a joint statement issued after the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee in Istanbul on August 31, the three countries agreed that the secretariat would initially be headed by a Pakistani Secretary General for a three-year term. The agreement is intended to strengthen cooperation in defence, collective security, deterrence and regional stability.
Who is Nauman Mehmood?
Nauman Mehmood is a retired three-star general of the Pakistan Army and belongs to the Baloch Regiment. He was commissioned into the Pakistan Army in September 1987 and went on to hold a range of senior field, intelligence, strategic and military education appointments.
He is a graduate of the Command and Staff College, Quetta, the Command and Staff College in Egypt and the National Defence University, Islamabad. He also holds a master’s degree in War Studies, according to a detailed profile published by Dawn.
A significant part of his career was associated with military training and professional education. He served in various instructional capacities at the Command and Staff College, Quetta, eventually becoming its chief instructor.
Command and operational experience
As a major general, Nauman Mehmood commanded an infantry division in North Waziristan, an area where the Pakistan Army had conducted extensive counterterrorism operations. His field experience later included command of XI Corps, Peshawar, which he assumed in December 2019 after being promoted to lieutenant general.
His tenure as Peshawar Corps commander coincided with major developments in Afghanistan, including the withdrawal of US forces and the changing security environment along Pakistan’s western border. He handed over command of the corps in November 2021.
Experience in intelligence and strategic affairs
Nauman Mehmood also served in the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), where he headed the Analysis Directorate. His responsibilities included assessment of international developments from a national-security perspective and liaison with foreign intelligence agencies, according to Dawn.
He was promoted to lieutenant general in April 2019 while serving as Director General of the ISI’s Analysis Directorate. The Inter-Services Public Relations announcement at the time confirmed his promotion along with those of several other major generals.
After his promotion, he was appointed Inspector General Communications and Information Technology at General Headquarters. In December 2019, he moved to Peshawar as commander of XI Corps.
President of National Defence University
After relinquishing command of Peshawar Corps in November 2021, Nauman Mehmood was appointed President of the National Defence University in Islamabad, becoming the institution’s 35th head. He remained in the position until his retirement from the army in April 2023.
His career therefore includes experience in field command, counterterrorism-related operations, intelligence analysis, international liaison, strategic studies, military communications and professional defence education.
What is the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement?
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement brings Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye together in a framework aimed at strengthening defence cooperation and collective security.
At their August 31 meeting in Istanbul, the three countries said they would further institutionalize cooperation under the agreement, including through measures designed to enhance solidarity, collective deterrence and defence. They also agreed to strengthen defence capabilities through defence-industry cooperation, joint technology development and production.
The agreement’s secretariat will be based in Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh designated as the location for the General Secretariat. Pakistan will provide the first Secretary General for a three-year period.
The three countries have also said their cooperation is intended to contribute to regional peace and stability, including through de-escalation, restraint and peaceful resolution of crises.
Nauman Mehmood’s appointment consequently places a Pakistani military veteran with experience spanning operational command, intelligence, strategic analysis and defence education at the head of the agreement’s newly established secretariat.
His immediate institutional role will involve helping establish the secretariat and coordinate cooperation among the three participating countries as the framework develops.