Pakistan Confirms Nuclear Support for Saudi Under Defense Pact

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia recently signed a strategic mutual defense agreement declaring that an attack on one country will be considered an attack on both, marking a significant strengthening of their decades-old ties. Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif confirmed that Pakistan's nuclear capabilities would be made available to Saudi Arabia under this pact, signaling a protective nuclear umbrella for the kingdom. The agreement, seen as a response to heightened regional tensions following Israel's strike in Qatar targeting Hamas leaders, also leaves open the possibility for other Arab countries to join the defense pact. Asif emphasized that the pact is defensive, not aggressive, and likened it to NATO, underscoring the right of Muslim nations to collectively defend their region. Pakistan has also been training Saudi forces for many years, and this agreement formalizes and extends that cooperation. This development raises significant strategic implications in the Middle East, particularly regarding Israel, long regarded as the region's sole nuclear power.