Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Defense Pact

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a 'Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement' in Riyadh, formalizing a long-standing defense relationship. The pact, signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, pledges that an attack on one nation would be considered an act of aggression against both. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that the agreement formalizes a previously 'transactional' relationship, while denying that nuclear weapons are part of the accord, despite earlier suggestions. The timing of the pact is noted to be in the wake of an Arab summit and an Israeli bombing of Qatar, which may have accelerated negotiations. The agreement builds on an almost eight-decade partnership, including a 1982 security cooperation agreement for Pakistani training and deployments on Saudi soil. Khawaja Asif also discussed Pakistan's strong defense ties with China and its unreliability on the United States for arms.