As the regional developments are shaping at an unprecedented pace in the Middle East after Israel carried out attacks on Qatar, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a joint defence agreement following a series of consultations in Riyadh. The agreement, according to both sides, was signed after two years of negotiations in the Saudi capital on Wednesday.
The two sides also said that the agreement was not signed to create tensions against any country; however, it indirectly mentioned the state of Israel and its ongoing hostile aggression against the neighbouring nations.
The agreement states that “any attack on either of the two countries will be considered an attack on both, and in that case, both nations can jointly mobilise their forces against an external threat.” The defence pact was based on the “historic partnership” between the two countries, the statement said, and “shared strategic interests and close defence cooperation”.
“Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman shared views on the recent regional and international developments, issues of common interest, and the efforts aimed at achieving security and stability,” the statement said.
A senior Saudi government official said, “This agreement marks a successful culmination of years of discussions. This is not a response to specific countries or specific events, but rather an institutionalisation of longstanding and deep cooperation between our two countries.”
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“This is a comprehensive defence agreement that encompasses cooperation in military means,” the official said, adding that the mutual defence pact included the use of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons if necessary. The Saudi official also mentioned that their relationship with India is more robust than it has ever been. "Our relationship with India will only grow in terms of trade and development.”
Since 1967, Pakistan has trained over 8,200 Saudi armed forces personnel, and the two sides have also conducted several joint military exercises. The joint defence pact or agreement, though indirect, is a clear message to Saudi Arabia’s regional adversaries that are seeking to assert dominance through hostile means in the region, the official added.
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