Riyadh: Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan have signed a formal mutual defence pact, deepening a decades-long security partnership at a time of heightened regional tensions.
The agreement, signed on Wednesday, strengthens defence cooperation between the two allies as Gulf Arab states reassess their security strategies.
Many in the region have grown wary of the reliability of the United States as a guarantor, concerns that intensified following Israel’s recent attack in Qatar.
“This agreement is a culmination of years of discussions,” a senior Saudi official said, emphasizing that it was “not a response to specific countries or specific events but an institutionalisation of longstanding and deep cooperation between our two countries.”
The pact comes after Israel’s airstrikes on Doha last week, which Arab states said targeted Hamas political leaders engaged in ceasefire talks mediated by Qatar. The attack, along with the ongoing Gaza war, has further destabilized the region.
The Saudi official, speaking anonymously, also noted the importance of balancing ties with India: “Our relationship with India is more robust than it has ever been. We will continue to grow this relationship and seek to contribute to regional peace whichever way we can.”
Asked whether the pact could extend to a nuclear guarantee, the official replied: “This is a comprehensive defensive agreement that encompasses all military means.”
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Pakistani state television broadcast images of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embracing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after the signing, with Pakistan’s powerful army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, also present.
A statement from Sharif’s office: “This agreement, which reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security and to achieving security and peace in the region and the world, aims to develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression. The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.”
