- Pakistan–Saudi pact fulfills Muslim unity dream: Sanaullah.
- Says pact boosts defence production, draws int’l attention.
- US unlikely to object to defence backs, says PM’s aide.
LAHORE: Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations have taken a historic step with a new agreement that, according to Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, represents the materialisation of a long-held dream of Muslim unity.
Speaking on Geo News programme “Jirga”, Sanaullah said the pact signals the coming together of two major powers — Pakistan’s nuclear strength and Saudi Arabia’s economic influence — creating a potential “superpower” presence.
He described the agreement as a “good omen” for the Muslim world and said it includes provisions to enhance defence production.
He added that any attack on Pakistan would be treated as an attack on Saudi Arabia and vice versa, underscoring the pact’s strategic depth.
The PM’s aide also emphasised that Pakistan had always maintained a defensive stance. “Our position has been clear: we do not initiate aggression.
“If India attacks, we will respond,” he said, noting Pakistan’s strong responses in past conflicts. “Pakistan’s stance has always been defensive,” Sanaullah emphasised.
Sanaullah suggested that the deal was unprecedented outside NATO and indicated that even the United States would have no objections.
“This agreement strengthens Pakistan’s standing as other countries increasingly look to it for defence support,” he added.
On broader issues, he said, resolving Kashmir now has become a necessity for India and reiterated his advice to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insafi (PTI) leadership to sincerely apologise and settle their internal matters.
A day earlier, Foreign Office Spokesperson Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan clarified that the landmark defence agreement signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is purely defensive in nature and not aimed at any third country.
At the weekly media briefing on Friday, Khan said the leadership of both countries was committed to elevating bilateral relations to new heights, The News reported.
Riyadh and Islamabad signed the mutual defence pact on September 17, significantly strengthening a decades-old security partnership, a week after Israel’s strikes on Qatar upended the diplomatic calculus in the region.
“The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both,” a statement from the prime minister’s office had mentioned.
Pakistan’s decades-old alliance with Saudi Arabia — the site of Islam’s holiest sites — is rooted in shared faith, strategic interests, and economic interdependence.
In his press briefing, the spokesperson added that during the visit, official-level talks were held and high-level delegations participated.
The spokesperson said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia shared a unique bond of brotherhood and cooperation, with the Pakistani people holding deep reverence for the land of the Two Holy Mosques.
He noted that defence cooperation since the 1960s had remained a cornerstone of ties and the two leaders were determined to further strengthen relations.
He said both sides reviewed their historic and strategic relations and exchanged views on matters of mutual interest.
According to him, the pact reflects both nations’ commitment to boosting defence cooperation and ensuring joint security. He explained that aggression against one state under the agreement would be treated as aggression against both.
He emphasised that the strategic defence accord formalised a decades-long robust partnership, underlining that it would contribute significantly to regional peace, security, and stability.
