Riyadh: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a landmark Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, pledging that any act of aggression against one country will be treated as aggression against both.
The agreement was signed during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s state visit to Riyadh, where he was formally received by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace.
A joint statement issued late Wednesday underscored the historic significance of the pact, noting that it builds on nearly eight decades of close cooperation and shared values between the two nations.
According to the joint communiqué, the defense pact reflects the shared resolve of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to safeguard peace and stability at both the regional and global levels. The agreement aims to deepen defense collaboration, enhance deterrence capabilities, and bolster collective security frameworks.
“The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both,” the statement declared, highlighting the pact’s central principle of collective defense.
Joint Statement Issued Following Pakistan Prime Minister State Visit to Saudi Arabia.https://t.co/qtzfeV32Pi#SPAGOV pic.twitter.com/5riRT9QsvP
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Prime Minister Sharif was welcomed in Riyadh by Deputy Governor Muhammad bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz on his arrival. He was accompanied by a high-powered delegation, including 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.
Ahead of the visit, Pakistan’s Foreign Office described the trip as an opportunity to consolidate a unique partnership rooted in shared faith, values, and mutual trust, while opening new avenues for collaboration across defense, economic, and cultural domains.
The Riyadh visit marks Sharif’s third trip to the Gulf region within a week. Earlier, he visited Qatar twice, first on Thursday and again on Monday, to express solidarity following Israel’s strike on Hamas leadership in Doha and to participate in an emergency meeting of Arab-Islamic nations convened to address the escalating crisis.
