Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gestures with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman at the Saudi Royal Court, Qasr Al-Yamamah in Riyadh on September 17, 2025. (Handout/Saudi Foreign Ministry)
ISLAMABAD: In a landmark development during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's state visit to Riyadh, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement” on Wednesday, the statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said, declaring that any act of aggression against either country would be considered an attack on both.
PM Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a historic agreement at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh. The agreement, anchored in decades of brotherly relations and shared security interests, aims to bolster joint defense mechanisms and create a united front against external aggression.
“Any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both,” the agreement declares.
The announcement came during Sharif’s visit to the Kingdom, where he was received with full state honors, including a 21-gun salute, an F-15 fighter jet escort, and a ceremonial welcome in the Saudi capital.
During bilateral talks, both sides emphasized the importance of enhancing defense cooperation, securing regional peace, and maintaining strategic coordination amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
In a post on X, the Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman said that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan were standing "side by side against the aggressor. Always and forever."
This visit follows a recent emergency Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha, where PM Sharif and the Saudi crown prince met to discuss Israel’s expanding military operations, including recent attacks on Iran and Qatar. The two leaders reaffirmed their shared vision for a stable Islamic world and a just resolution to ongoing conflicts.
Since taking office, Sharif has visited Saudi Arabia multiple times, reflecting the deepening economic, political, and military partnership between the two countries. Last year, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed MoUs worth $2.8 billion aimed at boosting private-sector collaboration.
At the conclusion of the visit, PM Sharif thanked the Saudi leadership for their warm hospitality and reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to its “most trusted brotherly nation.”
Later in the day on Thursday, according to a post on government of Pakistan's X account, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation was escorted by Riyadh's deputy governor Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Bin Abdul Aziz to the airport.
The premier and his delegation bid farewell to the Saudi delegation for a successful visit and departed for London from Riyadh.
