Pakistan-Saudi defence pact not against any third country: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan clarified on Friday that the security pack signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is purely defensive in nature and not directed against any third country.

At the weekly media briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said that the pact will play an important role in promoting peace, security, and stability in the region.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday signed the landmark Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA), which said that “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both”.

He said that the leadership of both countries is determined to elevate bilateral ties to new heights, while the defence agreement formalises a decades-long strong partnership.

He said that the agreement enhances defence cooperation and ensures collective security, under which an attack on one country would be considered an attack on both.

Shafqat Ali Khan said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Saudi Arabia on September 17 at the invitation of the Saudi King.

During the visit, he received a warm welcome and held official talks with the Saudi leadership.

He said that defence cooperation has remained a cornerstone of Pakistan-Saudi ties since the 1960s, and in this context, the prime minister of Pakistan and the Saudi Crown Prince signed the Strategic Defence Agreement.

Commenting on regional issues, the spokesperson said an emergency Islamic summit held in Doha discussed Israeli aggression, after which a joint communiqué was adopted unanimously at the foreign ministers’ meeting, declaring the Israeli attacks illegal and unprovoked.

He said that Pakistan’s foreign minister condemned Israeli aggression at the summit and appreciated Qatar’s mediation efforts. Pakistan also raised the issue at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, demanding an urgent debate.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for what he described as a “historic and heartfelt welcome.”