Pak-Saudi defence pact poses no threat to any third country: FO

Pakistan has categorically stated that the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed with Saudi Arabia underscores the two countries' shared commitment to regional peace and security. The pact is not aimed at threatening any other nation, Associated Press of Pakitan (APP) reported.

In his weekly media briefing on Friday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan said, Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have signed a landmark defence agreement during Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s official visit to Riyadh specifically meant to strengthen defence cooperation.

The agreement was signed following official talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud, on September 17.

“Both leaders reaffirmed the historic and strategic relations, spanned nearly eight decades, rooted in Islamic solidarity, shared values, and close defence cooperation,” the spokesperson mentioned.

He added that under the agreement, any aggression against either country will be considered as aggression against both, thus underscoring the depth of mutual trust and commitment to joint deterrence.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed profound gratitude for the Kingdom’s warm welcome and generous hospitality, and conveyed best wishes for the continued well-being of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud, as well as the progress and prosperity of the Saudi people, the spokesperson noted, adding, the Crown Prince, in turn, extended warm wishes for Pakistan’s peace and development.

The spokesperson highlighted that the prime minister’s visit also came against the backdrop of the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit held in Doha on September 15, convened after Israel’s airstrikes on Qatar.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif led Pakistan’s delegation at the summit, joined by the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, the defence minister, information minister, and the chief of the army staff.

Ambassador Khan said the prime minister, in his address at the summit, strongly condemned Israeli aggression and reaffirmed Pakistan’s “unflinching commitment to the Palestinian cause and solidarity with Qatar and other Muslim states facing unlawful hostilities.”

He highlighted Pakistan’s call at the UN Human Rights Council for an urgent debate on Israel’s actions, and emphasised the need for Islamic unity to confront “growing Israeli aggression.”

The joint communiqué adopted at the summit, he added, demonstrated “the collective resolve of over 50 Arab and Islamic states to hold Israel accountable for its repeated violations of international law and human rights.

On the sidelines of the summit, Prime Minister Sharif held bilateral meetings with the Qatar Emir, the Saudi Crown Prince, the King of Jordan, and the Presidents of Egypt and Iran, furthering Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach.

The spokesperson also briefed on parallel diplomatic engagements, including the President Asif Ali Zardari’s ongoing visit to China, where agreements were signed on agriculture, vocational training, and environmental cooperation, as well as recent telephone exchanges of the deputy prime minister with his counterparts in Egypt, Germany, and the United States.

Ambassador Khan concluded by reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening its historic partnerships with Saudi Arabia, China, and other allies, while maintaining principled support for peace, sovereignty, and the rights of oppressed peoples, particularly in Palestine and Kashmir.