Overview

• Islamabad and Riyadh signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement on September 17 that treats an attack on either country as aggression against both.
• Dar said the pact could evolve into a NATO‑like alliance if more countries decide to join.
• He reported that several Arab and other Islamic nations have approached Pakistan about similar agreements, including outreach during the UN General Assembly.
• Illustrating the pact’s scope, Dar said India’s strikes on Pakistan would have been considered an attack on Saudi Arabia under the agreement.
• Dar said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will soon share fuller details of the pact, and he distanced Pakistan from President Trump’s 20‑point Gaza plan.