Islamabad — Pakistan’s Foreign Office has emphasized that the recently signed defense pact with Saudi Arabia is purely defensive in nature and is not directed against any third country.
At the weekly media briefing, FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said the agreement reflects a long-standing partnership aimed at ensuring regional peace, stability, and mutual security.
“This strategic defense accord formalizes decades of strong defense cooperation between the two nations,” Khan noted, adding that any attack on one signatory would be considered an attack on both.
He recalled that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Saudi Arabia on September 17 at the invitation of the Saudi King, where he was warmly welcomed. During the visit, both sides held high-level talks and signed the pact.
Highlighting the historical ties, the spokesperson said defense cooperation has remained a cornerstone of Pakistan–Saudi relations since the 1960s. The new agreement elevates this cooperation to a more formal and strategic level.
Speaking on the broader regional situation, Khan said Pakistan strongly condemned recent Israeli aggression during the emergency OIC summit in Doha, where member states unanimously declared Israeli strikes unlawful and unprovoked.
He added that Pakistan also raised the issue at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, calling for an urgent debate, while praising Qatar for its role in mediation.
