Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif claims Saudi Arabia will defend Islamabad in case of war with India

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that Saudi Arabia would defend Pakistan if India were to declare war, highlighting the “strategic mutual assistance” element of the defence pact signed by the two countries this week.

"Yes, absolutely. There is no doubt about it..." Asif told Geo TV, drawing a parallel with NATO’s Article 5 on collective defence, which considers an attack on one member as an attack on all.

The minister emphasised that the deal is defensive, not offensive. "If there is aggression, whether against Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, we will jointly defend against it," he said.

Contradicting his earlier statement, Asif told Reuters, "We have no intention of using this pact for any aggression. But if the parties are threatened, then obviously this arrangement will become operative."

On the issue of nuclear weapons, Asif stated in a Geo TV interview, "Let me make one-point clear about Pakistan's nuclear capability: that capability as established long ago when we conducted tests. Since then, we have forces trained for the battle."

He added, "What we have, and the capabilities we possess, will be made available to (Saudi Arabia) according to this agreement."

However, in a separate Reuters interview, he denied that nuclear weapons were part of the accord, calling them "not on the radar," according to Dawn News. While Pakistan’s official doctrine limits nuclear use to India, Asif confirmed the country’s warheads are technically available for Saudi Arabia.

A senior Saudi official, asked if the deals means Pak is now obliged to offer a nuclear shield, told Reuters, "This is a comprehensive defensive agreement that encompasses all military means."

In response, the Indian government said the Pak-Saudi pact "formalises a long-standing arrangement between the two countries" and that the implications are being considered.