'Attack on one to be treated as attack on both': Pakistan, Saudi sign defence pact
Sharif traveled to Saudi Arabia at the crown prince’s invitation, underscoring the symbolism of the move. The two leaders embraced after the signing.
- Sep 18, 2025,
- Updated Sep 18, 2025 7:35 AM IST
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a sweeping new defence pact, declaring that any attack on one will be treated as aggression against both—an unprecedented step linking the two nations’ security at a volatile moment in the region.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman inked the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement in Riyadh on Wednesday. The pact, according to the Saudi Press Agency, aims to deepen defence cooperation and build “joint deterrence against any aggression.”
“The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both,” the official statement said.
Sharif traveled to Saudi Arabia at the crown prince’s invitation, underscoring the symbolism of the move. The two leaders embraced after the signing.
The deal comes against a backdrop of escalating tensions: just days ago, Israel carried out an air strike in Doha targeting Hamas leaders, an attack the U.S. criticized as unilateral and counterproductive. Qatar, furious over the death of one of its security officers in the strike, branded the raid “state terrorism.”
The Riyadh-Islamabad pact also follows this year’s four-day conflict between India and Pakistan. That clash, triggered by Operation Sindoor—an Indian retaliatory strike after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26—ended only after Pakistan’s DGMO requested a halt.
At the same time, Washington is negotiating a separate enhanced defence cooperation agreement with Qatar. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a deal is “on the verge” of finalisation. President Donald Trump added that Israel had not informed him in advance about its Doha strike.
The Saudi-Pakistan pact signals a possible reshaping of alliances in a region long anchored by U.S. security guarantees—just as Israel intensifies unilateral operations and Gulf states seek greater self-reliance.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a sweeping new defence pact, declaring that any attack on one will be treated as aggression against both—an unprecedented step linking the two nations’ security at a volatile moment in the region.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman inked the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement in Riyadh on Wednesday. The pact, according to the Saudi Press Agency, aims to deepen defence cooperation and build “joint deterrence against any aggression.”
“The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both,” the official statement said.
Sharif traveled to Saudi Arabia at the crown prince’s invitation, underscoring the symbolism of the move. The two leaders embraced after the signing.
The deal comes against a backdrop of escalating tensions: just days ago, Israel carried out an air strike in Doha targeting Hamas leaders, an attack the U.S. criticized as unilateral and counterproductive. Qatar, furious over the death of one of its security officers in the strike, branded the raid “state terrorism.”
The Riyadh-Islamabad pact also follows this year’s four-day conflict between India and Pakistan. That clash, triggered by Operation Sindoor—an Indian retaliatory strike after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26—ended only after Pakistan’s DGMO requested a halt.
At the same time, Washington is negotiating a separate enhanced defence cooperation agreement with Qatar. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a deal is “on the verge” of finalisation. President Donald Trump added that Israel had not informed him in advance about its Doha strike.
The Saudi-Pakistan pact signals a possible reshaping of alliances in a region long anchored by U.S. security guarantees—just as Israel intensifies unilateral operations and Gulf states seek greater self-reliance.