Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a formal mutual defence pact on Wednesday, cementing a decades-long security partnership at a time of heightened regional instability.
The agreement, announced in Riyadh, comes as Gulf Arab states express growing unease over Washington’s reliability as their traditional security guarantor. Tensions have risen sharply following Israel’s airstrikes on Doha last week, which targeted Hamas leaders during ceasefire discussions mediated by Qatar, sparking outrage across the Arab world.
“This agreement is a culmination of years of discussions. This is not a response to specific countries or specific events but an institutionalisation of longstanding and deep cooperation between our two countries,” a senior Saudi official told Reuters.
The pact could reshape the regional security landscape. Gulf monarchies, while allied with the US, have sought to balance ties with both Iran and Israel. But the Gaza war has unsettled those efforts, with Qatar hit by strikes twice in one year, first by Iran and now by Israel.
The deal also comes just months after Pakistan fought a brief military conflict with rival India in May. New Delhi responded cautiously, with Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal stating on X that India was aware of the development and would “study its implications for New Delhi’s security and for regional stability.”
The Saudi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the delicate balance with India, another nuclear power. “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,” the official said.
When asked if Pakistan would provide a nuclear umbrella under the pact, the official described it as a “comprehensive defensive agreement that encompasses all military means.”
Pakistani state television broadcast footage of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, embracing after signing the accord. Also present was Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, widely considered the most powerful figure in Pakistan.
“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,” the Pakistani prime minister’s office said in a statement.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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