Overview

• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed the agreement in Riyadh on September 17, pledging that an attack on either state will be treated as aggression against both.
• Khawaja Asif said the accord was long in the works and not a response to Israeli strikes in Qatar, though the events may have accelerated its conclusion.
• Asif framed the pact as a formal structure for decades of cooperation that has included thousands of Pakistani troops deployed in the kingdom and extensive training ties.
• He denied that Pakistan is selling nuclear weapons to Saudi Arabia and declined to discuss any potential nuclear aspects, leaving key operational terms undisclosed.
• Analysts say the treaty codifies long-standing defense links, adds deliberate ambiguity over any nuclear role, and could stretch Riyadh’s effort to balance close ties with India and reliance on U.S. security guarantees.