Pakistan’s defence minister said his country’s nuclear program “will be made available” to Saudi Arabia if needed under a new defence pact, the first time Islamabad has specifically acknowledged extending its nuclear umbrella to the kingdom, according to the Associated Press.
Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif made the remarks in an interview with Pakistan’s Geo TV late Thursday. He was responding to a question on whether the deterrence provided by Pakistan’s nuclear weapons would be shared with Saudi Arabia under the agreement.
“Let me make one point clear about Pakistan’s nuclear capability: that capability was established long ago when we conducted tests. Since then, we have forces trained for the battlefield,” Asif said. “What we have, and the capabilities we possess, will be made available to (Saudi Arabia) according to this agreement.”
The two countries signed the defence pact on Wednesday, declaring that an attack on one nation would be considered an attack on both. Asif described it as an “umbrella arrangement” that ensures joint defence in the event of external aggression. He emphasised that the agreement did not name any specific country as a threat.
The report, quoting analysts, said that the development is significant, particularly in light of regional tensions following Israel’s recent strike in Qatar that killed six Hamas leaders. The move is widely seen as a signal to Israel, which is long believed to be the Middle East’s only nuclear-armed nation. Israel has not commented on the pact.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have shared close military and financial ties for decades. Retired Pakistani Brig. Gen. Feroz Hassan Khan has previously noted that Riyadh provided “generous financial support” that allowed Pakistan’s nuclear program to continue during the years when Islamabad faced international sanctions.
The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists estimates that Pakistan possesses around 170 nuclear warheads, compared with 172 in neighbouring India. Pakistan developed its nuclear arsenal to counter India, its longtime rival. Its Shaheen-3 ballistic missile, with a range of 2,750 kilometres (1,700 miles), can reach deep into the Middle East, including Israel.
The defence pact could also open the door to wider security arrangements in the region. Asif said “the door is not closed” for other nations to join, a sentiment echoed by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who told reporters in London that additional countries had expressed interest in similar agreements.
*With agency inputs
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