Saudi Arabia and Pakistan strengthen ties through mutual defense agreement

Saudi Arabia has signed a defense agreement with nuclear-armed Pakistan. According to the agreement, Riyadh and Islamabad will consider any attack on either country as an ‘aggression’ on both countries.
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif signed the agreement in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday (September 17).
A joint statement said that the agreement reflects the two countries’ joint commitment to strengthening security in the region and the world and achieving peace and security. It aims to increase defense cooperation between the two countries and build joint resistance against any aggression.
The agreement states that any aggression against either country will be considered an aggression against both countries. The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said that the defense agreement is based on the “historic partnership” and “common strategic interests and close defense cooperation” between the two countries.
SPA reported that in a meeting in Riyadh on Wednesday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed ways to enhance the strategic partnership between the two brotherly countries in various fields. They also exchanged views on regional and international developments, issues of common interest, and efforts to achieve security and stability.
Meanwhile, international media outlet Reuters reported that the agreement was signed two days after an extraordinary joint meeting of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The meeting was called in the context of the Israeli attack on the Qatari capital Doha on September 9.
When asked about the timing of the agreement signing, a senior Saudi official told Reuters that the agreement is the result of many years of negotiations. It is not a response to a specific country or event, but rather an institutionalization of long-standing, deep cooperation between our two countries. The official, who did not want to be identified, replied to a question about the use of nuclear weapons that it is a comprehensive defense agreement that covers all military means.