ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are quietly but steadily moving towards formalizing a new quadrilateral framework, as rapid developments in the Middle East push key regional players to coordinate more closely on diplomacy and security.
While officials stopped short of calling it an alliance, the pace and frequency of engagements suggest the four-nation forum is evolving into a structured grouping aimed at shaping outcomes in a volatile region.
The latest step came on Tuesday, when senior officials from the four countries
They met in Islamabad after earlier consultations between their foreign ministers.
Pakistan’s delegation at the senior officials’ meeting was led by Ambassador Tahir Andrabi, Additional Foreign Secretary and Spokesperson. The Turkish side was led by Ambassador Musa Kulaklikaya, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Egypt was represented by Ambassador Nazih El Naggari, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, while the Saudi delegation was led by Prince Dr. Abdullah bin Khalid bin Saud Al-Kabeer AlSaud, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting, organized by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, brought together senior diplomats to finalize proposals that will now be presented at the next meeting of foreign ministers in Antalya on April 17, on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Pakistan moves towards quad framework
The consultations come against the backdrop of heightened regional instability, particularly the recent military escalation between Iran and the United States, which has upended diplomatic calculations and triggered urgent efforts through back channels to avoid further fallout.
The four countries had met for the first time at the level of foreign ministers in Riyadh on March 19, at the height of tensions between Tehran and Washington. Just ten days later, they met again in Islamabad, underscoring both the urgency and seriousness of the initiative.
Now, with another meeting scheduled in Antalya within days, officials say the push reflects a shared recognition that traditional diplomatic formats are no longer sufficient to respond to rapidly advancing crises in the Middle East.
Diplomatic sources told The Express PAkGazette that discussions are focused on designing a cooperative framework focused on conflict de-escalation, economic coordination and political alignment on key regional issues.
“There is a clear convergence of views among the four capitals on the need for a coordinated approach,” one source said, adding that while the structure of the group is still being worked out, “it is moving beyond ad hoc consultations.”
During their stay, the visiting delegations also visited the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, who stressed the importance of institutionalizing cooperation between what he described as “brotherly countries.”
Dar emphasized that closer coordination could help promote shared goals of peace, stability and economic development, particularly at a time when geopolitical uncertainty is deepening across the Middle East.
Analysts say the emerging quadrilateral reflects a pragmatic alignment rather than a formal bloc, driven by overlapping interests in regional stability, energy security and diplomatic influence.
However, they caution that the success of any such framework will depend on how effectively the four countries can reconcile their individual foreign policy priorities while maintaining a unified stance on contentious issues.
