Pakistan, Saudi Arabia ink defence pact for joint action against ‘aggression’

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a strategic mutual defence pact, pledging joint response to any aggression. The agreement strengthens defence ties amid regional tensions, including Israel’s recent actions in Qatar, and follows recent India-Pakistan military clashes

Islamabad: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a “strategic mutual defence” agreement, which declares that any attack on either country will be considered “an aggression against both”.

The agreement was signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday during the Pakistani leader’s day-long visit to the Gulf Kingdom, according to a joint statement.

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The deal comes days after an Israeli attack on the Hamas leadership in Qatar, a key US ally in the Gulf region.

The Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement states that “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both,” according to the joint statement.

“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,” it added.

Commenting on the development, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in New Delhi on Thursday said India will study the implications of the move for its national security as well as for regional and global stability.

In a carefully crafted response to a media query on the issue, Jaiswal said New Delhi remains committed to protecting India’s national interests and ensuring “comprehensive national security in all domains”.

The sealing of the pact came over four months after a four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan.

According to the Pakistan-Saudi joint statement, the pact builds on the historic partnership extending for nearly eight decades between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and is based on the bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity, as well as shared strategic interests and close defence cooperation between the two countries.

The two sides also reviewed the historic and strategic relations between both countries and several topics of common interest.

In a post on social media, Sharif on Thursday said their talks “covered a wide range of issues, reviewing regional challenges and enhancing bilateral cooperation”.

Sharif also said that he greatly values the Saudi Crown Prince’s “consistent support and his keen interest in expanding Saudi investments, trade and business ties between our two countries”.

Ahead of the prime minister’s visit to the oil-rich kingdom, the Foreign Office had said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy a historic relationship, rooted in shared faith, values and mutual trust, and the visit will provide an important opportunity to the two leaders to consolidate this unique partnership, while exploring new avenues of collaboration, for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries.

This was Sharif’s third visit to the Gulf region within a week. He earlier visited Qatar twice, on Thursday and Monday, to express solidarity with Doha following Israel’s attack in the Gulf country and to attend an emergency meeting of Arab-Islamic nations on the issue.

Sharif was accompanied by Army Chief Asim Munir, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Environment Minister Musadik Malik and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi.