Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif has said that his country will share nuclear protection with Saudi Arabia.
The agreement was signed in Riyadh between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir also attended. This is the first time Pakistan has openly declared that Saudi Arabia will fall under its nuclear shield.
Asif said the deal ensures joint defence. “If either Pakistan or Saudi Arabia is attacked, both will respond together,” he explained. He described the pact as an “umbrella arrangement” for mutual protection.
The announcement has raised concern in world capitals. India’s Ministry of External Affairs noted that its ties with Saudi Arabia have deepened and asked Riyadh to respect mutual interests. Officials in New Delhi believe the deal was pushed forward after Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Doha.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have a long military partnership. In the past, up to 20,000 Pakistani troops were stationed in the kingdom. But this new defence pact, with its nuclear dimension, marks a major shift that is drawing attention in Washington, Tel Aviv, and New Delhi.
