Pakistan has a long history of defence ties with the Kingdom, dating back to the 1960s when Pakistani troops were first deployed there. This engagement was formalised in the early 1980s when a security protocol led to Pakistan stationing a division in the Kingdom. Pakistani officers have trained various arms of the Saudi forces, and the countries conduct regular exercises across multiple domains, whilst Saudi cadets have for decades been trained at the Pakistan Military Academy.
However, even with this closeness and deep engagement, the two countries eschewed signing a mutual defence pact until now. I would list four main reasons that have led to this development:
- Israel’s growing and unchecked threat to the Middle East
- The US’s silence on Israeli actions in Qatar
- Pakistan’s show of strength against India
- The détente between Saudi Arabia and Iran
Israel’s unlawful actions in Gaza, with the deliberate targeting of civilians and blockade of humanitarian aid, are criminal actions which have given rise to tremendous anger, especially in the Muslim world. Its attack on Qatar, where it violated a sovereign country’s borders, was another example of the unhinged character of the regime in Tel Aviv. The attack targeting the Hamas negotiators in a country playing a mediating role made it even more audacious, sending a clear signal that Israel is not interested in peace. This was captured well by Essa Al-Nassr, a member of the Consultative Assembly of Qatar, who in 2024 ominously stated that "there will be no peace nor negotiations with the Zionist entity for one reason: because their mentality does not recognise negotiations, but rather only… breaking promises and lying…”
The Israeli attack on Qatar, a GCC member state, has sent shockwaves throughout the GCC, where two members, the UAE and Bahrain, have diplomatic relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords. These actions, conducted with impunity without Israel being held to account by the US or anyone else, have laid bare the helplessness of the Muslim world, further highlighting the need for a strong defensive alliance which can signal to Israel that enough is enough.
Pakistan’s performance in May was an eye-opener, outperforming a larger adversary by deploying modern tactics such as multi-domain warfare, rarely seen outside the US
It is difficult to comprehend that a US ally which plays host to thousands of US servicemen and women would be bombed by another staunch US ally. This is no doubt a first, and claims by the US that it had no prior knowledge of the Israeli attack are difficult to digest, given the intelligence assets it possesses. Whilst it is no secret that US material and diplomatic support comes with a blank cheque, it has led to Israel pursuing naked aggression with expansionist designs.
The question countries hosting US forces are asking is, were you not supposed to protect us? What is to stop the Israelis from expanding their unlawful attacks, given their stated policy to go after Hamas anywhere, thereby putting the entire world in the crosshairs of Israeli action? The lack of US action to denounce the Israeli attack has sent clear signals within the GCC that US hands are tied when it comes to Israel. A point further driven home when Marco Rubio made no statement during his recent visit to Israel that would ensure no repetition of what happened to Qatar.
Pakistan’s performance in May was an eye-opener, outperforming a larger adversary by deploying modern tactics such as multi-domain warfare, rarely seen outside the US. The PAF’s defensive performance was bolstered by its offensive actions, where it successfully targeted and destroyed Indian S-400 and BrahMos missile sites. Most importantly, in the Muslim world, these actions further evidenced the prowess, capabilities and professionalism of Pakistan’s Armed Forces and their ability to take on an adversary far larger in size by deploying conventional weapons effectively.
Iran and Pakistan have enjoyed periods of détente, interrupted by outbreaks of hot and cold hostility. Pakistan’s significant Shia population has meant that it has had to walk a tightrope in managing the Iranians without antagonising its friends, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Saudi relations with post-revolutionary Iran have been hostile up until recently, when a détente and normalisation of relations brokered by China also allowed the other GCC members to seek normalised relations with Iran. The strong vocal support Iran received from the Kingdom when it was attacked by Israel was a further testament to the détente.
These developments and Pakistan’s overt diplomatic support to Iran, alongside covert manoeuvring with the Trump Administration in ensuring a quick de-escalation of the June crisis, were well received in Tehran. It has also meant that Iranian concerns regarding a Saudi-Pakistan defence pact do not carry the same weight in Tehran as they once may have.