Riyadh: Saudi state media have lauded a strategic defense agreement signed with nuclear-armed Pakistan, describing it as a 'deterrence umbrella' that enables both nations to fully utilize their military capabilities without exception. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman formalized the agreement in Riyadh with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
According to Anadolu Agency, a joint statement from the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) emphasizes the agreement's objectives to 'enhance security, achieve peace in the region and the world, aim to develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression.' The pact further stipulates that an attack on either country should be regarded as an attack on both.
The Okaz newspaper highlighted the event with the headline 'Crown Prince and Pakistani Prime Minister sign strategic defense agreement,' noting that buildings across Saudi cities were lit up with the flags of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The newspaper featured a column by Muteb Al Awad, celebrating the pact as 'a historic fortification of the Islamic front,' linking Saudi air defense with Pakistani nuclear capabilities.
Al Awad elaborated that the pact signals a deeper phase in Saudi-Pakistani relations, portraying it as a 'redefinition of regional deterrence.' He emphasized Saudi Arabia's economic might as a stabilizing force for global energy and its advanced military capabilities as pivotal in regional security. He also highlighted the kingdom's spiritual leadership due to its custodianship of Islam's holiest sites.
The column also underscored Pakistan's status as a declared nuclear power with a significant military presence and strategic geographical position. The agreement is seen as creating 'a bilateral collective security umbrella' that includes operational planning, intelligence sharing, and development in defense industries.
Political analyst Moneef Ammash al-Harbi, speaking to Al-Arabiya television, remarked that the pact permits both Riyadh and Islamabad to leverage their full military capacities, issuing a message to regional and international entities. Retired Brig. Gen. Faisal al-Hamad noted that the agreement mirrors NATO's principle wherein an attack on one member is an attack on all.
Pakistani media also spotlighted the agreement, with SPA reporting that skyscrapers in Islamabad were adorned with the Saudi and Pakistani flags. Al-Riyadh newspaper reported, 'Crown Prince discusses developments with Pakistani prime minister, signs strategic defense agreement,' while Al-Madina daily highlighted, 'Strategic defense agreement between the kingdom and Pakistan.'
The defense pact follows an Israeli strike on Qatar's capital, which resulted in the death of five Hamas members and a Qatari officer. This attack occurred amid mediation efforts by Doha, Egypt, and the US for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, where over 65,000 people have been killed since October 2023.