Pakistan’s nuclear capability 'available' to Riyadh if needed: Defence minister Khawaja Asif

Pakistan’s defence minister publicly acknowledged that Islamabad’s nuclear capability “will be made available” to Saudi Arabia if needed under a new defence pact, marking the first explicit statement tying the kingdom to Pakistan’s nuclear umbrella. 

Speaking to Geo TV on September 19, Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif was asked whether “the deterrence that Pakistan gets from nuclear weapons” would be extended to Saudi Arabia. “Let me make one point clear about Pakistan’s nuclear capability: that capability was established long ago when we conducted tests. Since then, we have forces trained for the battlefield,” Asif said. “What we have, and the capabilities we possess, will be made available to (Saudi Arabia) according to this agreement.” 

The comments underline the significance of a defence agreement signed Wednesday that declares an attack on one country would be treated as an attack on both. 

Why wording matters 

The document, described by officials as a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement,” contains Nato-style language: “Any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.” The text does not name any third country, but its broad wording has already drawn scrutiny because of the potential implications for regional deterrence and alliance commitments. 

Seen as a message to Israel 

Analysts say the move will be read as a signal to Israel, frequently cited as the Middle East’s only nuclear-armed state. The declaration follows a recent Israeli strike that targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar and killed six people, an episode that renewed Gulf concerns about their security as the Israel-Hamas war continues to unsettle the region. 

Nuclear ties and historical backing 

Observers note that Saudi links to Pakistan’s nuclear program go back decades. Retired Pakistani Brig. Gen. Feroz Hassan Khan has previously said the kingdom provided “generous financial support to Pakistan that enabled the nuclear program to continue, especially when the country was under sanctions.” Pakistan developed its nuclear arsenal primarily as a deterrent to India; the countries have fought multiple wars and remain locked in a tense rivalry. 

Numbers and capabilities cited 

Citing a US-published estimate from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the copy provided notes India is believed to have about 172 nuclear warheads while Pakistan has about 170. Pakistan’s Shaheen-3 ballistic missile, which can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, has a reported maximum range of about 2,750 kilometres (1,700 miles) — sufficient to reach Israel. 

Neither Islamabad nor Riyadh immediately answered detailed questions about whether Pakistan’s nuclear weapons would be transferred, placed under Saudi control, or otherwise made directly accessible. The International Atomic Energy Agency, with which both countries have monitoring agreements, did not immediately respond to requests for comment about Asif’s remarks. In the Geo TV interview, Asif also criticized Israel for not fully disclosing its suspected nuclear programme to the IAEA. 

Regional responses: Houthi warning 

The pact has already provoked strong reactions elsewhere in the region. Yemen’s Houthi movement denounced the deal as being signed “at the US’s behest” and warned that if Pakistan deployed troops to the Saudi-Yemen border “it will become a graveyard for Pakistani soldiers,” adding, “Yemenis are free, not slaves to America like Saudi Arabia & Pakistan.”