Pak, Saudi ink pact for joint action against ‘aggression’

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a “strategic mutual defence” agreement, which declares that any attack on either country will be considered “an aggression against both”.
The deal comes days after an Israeli attack on the Hamas leadership in Qatar, a key US ally in the Gulf region.
Commenting on the development, India on Thursday said it will study the implications of the move for its national security as well as for regional and global stability.
The “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” was signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday during the Pakistani leader’s day-long visit to the Gulf Kingdom, according to a joint statement.
The agreement states that “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both,” said the statement issued by both sides.
“This agreement, which reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security and to achieving security and peace in the region and the world, aims to develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression,” it added.
In New Delhi, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India will study the implications of the move for its national security as well as for regional and global stability.
Responding to a media query on the issue, Jaiswal said the “government remains committed to protecting India’s national interests and ensuring comprehensive national security in all domains”.
The agreement came over four months after a four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan in May.
According to the Pakistan-Saudi joint statement, the pact builds on the historic partnership extending for nearly eight decades between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and is based on the bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity, as well as shared strategic interests and close defence cooperation between the two countries.
The two sides also reviewed the historic and strategic relations between both countries and several topics of common interest.
In a post on social media, Sharif on Thursday said their talks “covered a wide range of issues, reviewing regional challenges and enhancing bilateral cooperation”.