New Delhi: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has confirmed that Saudi Arabia will defend Pakistan if India declares war, under a new mutual defence agreement signed during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to Riyadh. Calling the pact a “strategic mutual assistance” arrangement, Asif compared it to NATO’s Article 5, which treats an attack on one member as an attack on all.
He emphasised that the agreement is purely defensive in nature, saying, “If there is aggression, whether against Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, we will jointly defend against it. We have no intention of using this pact for any aggression.”
Asif also confirmed that Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities would be available to Saudi Arabia under the pact, even though Pakistan’s doctrine states its nuclear arsenal is meant for use only against India. “Our capabilities will absolutely be available under this pact,” he said, adding that Pakistan has always complied with inspections of its nuclear facilities and adhered to international norms.
A key clause in the agreement states that “any aggression against either country shall be considered aggression against both.” India has responded by saying the pact formalises a long-standing arrangement between the two nations and that its implications are being studied.
Analysts believe the agreement effectively combines Saudi Arabia’s financial strength with Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence, providing Riyadh with a “nuclear shield” while offering Islamabad economic and diplomatic backing. The move could reshape the regional security balance, with both Israel and Iran expected to watch developments closely.
When asked about the possibility of a broader Arab defence alliance, Asif said, “The doors are not closed. I cannot prematurely answer this… but I think it is a fundamental right of the countries and people here, particularly the Muslim population, to defend their region together.”
