Entry of other Arab countries in Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defence pact not ruled out: Khawaja Asif

Islamabad: The entry of other Arab countries in the mutual defence deal between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is not ruled out, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said, adding that “doors are not closed” for such developments.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday signed a "strategic mutual defence" agreement, which declares that any attack on either country will be considered "an aggression against both".

The deal was signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the Pakistani leader's day-long visit to the Gulf Kingdom, according to a joint statement.

The deal comes days after an Israeli attack on the Hamas leadership in Qatar, a key US ally in the Gulf region.

Responding to a question whether more Arab nations could become part of the deal, Asif said: “I cannot prematurely answer this, but I will definitely say the doors are not closed.” Asif, during an interview to Geo News on Tuesday, said he had always called for a similar arrangement like NATO since there was greater vulnerability for Pakistan.

“I think it is a fundamental right of the countries and people here, particularly the Muslim population, to together defend their region, countries and nations,” Asif said.

He said there was no clause in the deal that ruled out the entry of any other nation or that Pakistan could not sign a similar agreement with anyone else.

Asked whether Pakistan’s nuclear assets were also up for use under the agreement, Asif said: “What we have, our capabilities, will absolutely be available under this pact.” Asif said Pakistan had always offered its nuclear facilities for inspection and never committed any violation.

Questioned about whether any attack on one country would lead to the involvement of the other and vice versa, the minister said: “Yes, absolutely. There is no doubt in this.” Asif further said it was not an “aggressive pact” but a defensive arrangement, similar to that of NATO.

He added that Pakistan had also been involved in training Saudi forces for quite a while and the recent development was only a formalised “extension” of all that.

“If there is aggression, whether against Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, we will jointly defend against it,” he said.

He said Pakistan had always had a large military and air force contingent present in Saudi for many decades.

“I think that (pre-existing) relationship has been more defined now and that understanding has been given the form of a defence agreement,” he said.

Responding to the deal, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal has said India will study the implications of the move for its national security as well as for regional and global stability.

Jaiswal said the "government remains committed to protecting India's national interests and ensuring comprehensive national security in all domains".

Questioned about whether the US was taken into confidence on the matter, Asif said he felt there was “no ground or justification” for any other third party to be involved in the development.

“This agreement will not be a hegemonic arrangement but a defensive arrangement… We don’t have any plans to conquer territory or attack anyone. But our fundamental right can’t be denied to us and we exercised that yesterday,” Asif said.

Asif also said the protection of the holy Islamic sites in Saudi Arabia was also a matter of a “sacred duty” for Pakistan.

To a question about terrorist attacks on security forces, Asif reiterated Pakistani claims that Afghan soil was being used to stage acts of terrorism in the country.

“We were swept into two wars in Afghanistan. The US, on both occasions, left the region and we are still dealing with the consequences, be it the Taliban, the TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan), the BLA (Balochistan Liberation Army) or anyone else,” Asif said.

Calling Afghanistan a "hostile country", Asif said, “The Kabul government is not innocent in this, I am being categorical. Through these people, we are being blackmailed by them." When asked if Arab states would act in response to Afghan aggression, Asif said he would not be against it.

According to the text of the joint statement, issued simultaneously by Islamabad and Riyadh at the end of Prime Minister Sharif’s day-long state visit, the pact “reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security and to achieve security and peace in the region and the world”.

The timing of the accord, coming on the heels of an Arab summit that signalled a shift towards collective security — in the wake of Israel’s attack on Qatar — hints that it is rooted in current world affairs and reflects the defence concerns of both countries.

The agreement marks the most significant upgrade in Pakistan-Saudi defence ties in decades, the Dawn newspaper reported.

Cooperation between the two states dates back to 1967 and deepened after the 1979 Grand Mosque seizure, when Pakistani special forces helped Saudi troops reclaim Masjid al-Haram.

In 1982, the two sides institutionalised security ties through a Bilateral Security Cooperation Agreement that enabled Pakistani training, advisory support and deployments on Saudi soil.

At times, as many as 20,000 Pakistani troops were stationed in the kingdom, and Saudi Arabia became a key purchaser of Pakistani-made arms.

In recent years, the partnership has gained urgency amid regional instability.

In February, a meeting of the Joint Military Cooperation Committee in Riyadh pledged to expand training and exchanges.