Saudi Arabia And Pakistan Deepen Ties With Mutual Defense Pact

Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan elevated their long-standing security partnership by signing a mutual defense pact, stating that “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.”

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who’s making a state visit, signed the deal in Riyadh on Wednesday, state-run Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The pact “aims to develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression,” it said.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have conducted joint military drills for years and both nations have been working to better ties with the administration of US President Donald Trump. 

A mutual defense pact risks pulling Saudi Arabia into a confrontation with India, with which Pakistan has fought four major wars. Hostilities between the two South Asian nations flared up as recently as May, including jet fighter dog fights, as well as drone, missile and artillery strikes across their shared border. 

The pact also comes after an Israeli strike targeting Hamas leaders in Doha this month strained relations between the US and key Middle East allies Israel and Qatar. Other Arab leaders have seized on the incident, condemning it and questioning the value of American security guarantees.