ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet has approved the historic Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
The Cabinet, which met in Islamabad today with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair, also paid tribute to the leaderships of both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Besides, the cabinet approved donating fifteen non-operational aircraft of the Department of Plant Protection to various institutions for educational, commemorative, and exhibition purposes. The remaining four operational aircraft will continue to be used by the Department of Plant Protection for anti-locust operations. It is worth noting that previous attempts to auction these aircraft had not been successful, following which this decision was taken.
The meeting also granted in-principle approval for legislation to establish a special security force for the protection of major dams and hydropower projects under WAPDA.
The Pakistan-Saudi deal was signed by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Riyadh, a week after Israel’s strikes on Qatar upended the diplomatic calculus in the region.
After the landmark defence agreement was signed, several international media outlets speculated that Pakistan’s nuclear programme had been made part of the pact a claim that quickly drew attention and fuelled debate.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are committed to strengthening bilateral ties and taking them to new heights.
At the weekly media briefing, he clarified that the recently signed defence agreement between the two countries is not directed against any third nation.
He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Saudi Arabia on 17 September, where he received a warm welcome. During the visit, both leaderships held official talks attended by high-level delegations.
Khan added that relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are based on brotherhood and cooperation, while the people of Pakistan have deep spiritual ties with the land of the Two Holy Mosques.
He noted that defence cooperation has been a cornerstone of bilateral relations since the 1960s. The new agreement gives a legal framework to this strong partnership. Under the pact, an attack on one country will be considered an attack on both. He stressed that it is purely defensive in nature and not aimed at any other state.
