Overview

• Signed on September 17 in Riyadh by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the pact codifies nearly eight decades of defence cooperation.
• The joint statement declares that an attack on either country will be treated as an attack on both and seeks to strengthen joint deterrence and military collaboration.
• A senior Saudi official said the accord is the culmination of years of talks and described it as a comprehensive defensive agreement without detailing any nuclear guarantees.
• Pakistan’s Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir attended the ceremony, and Saudi defence minister Khalid bin Salman publicly hailed the move as uniting the countries against any aggressor.
• The signing follows Israel’s strike in Doha and a rare Arab League–OIC session, and analysts say the deal could recalibrate Gulf and South Asian security as Riyadh also underscores robust ties with India.