Saudi Arabia and Pakistan sign defence pact amid growing wariness over US

Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan signed a formal mutual defence pact on Wednesday, in a move that significantly strengthens a decades-long security partnership amid heightened regional tensions.

The enhanced defence ties come as Gulf Arab states grow increasingly wary about the reliability of the United States as their long-standing security guarantor. Israel’s attack on Qatar last week heightened those concerns.

“This agreement is a culmination of years of discussions. This is not a response to specific countries or specific events but an institutionalisation of long-standing and deep cooperation between our two countries,” a senior Saudi official said when asked about its timing.

Israel’s attempt to kill the political leaders of Hamas with air strikes on Doha, while they were discussing a ceasefire proposal that Qatar is helping to mediate, infuriated Arab countries.

The pact could shift the strategic calculus in a complex region. Allies of Washington, Gulf monarchies have sought to stabilise ties with both Iran and Israel to resolve long-standing security concerns.

But the Gaza war has upended the region and Gulf state Qatar has been subjected to direct hits twice in a year, once by Iran and once by Israel.

  

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