Pakistan Reaffirms Support for Saudi Arabia’s Security as PM Shehbaz Highlights Defence Partnership
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security, highlighting the expanding strategic and defence relationship between the two countries amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.
In a message marking Saudi Arabia’s 96th National Day on September 23, the prime minister congratulated the Saudi leadership and people while reiterating Pakistan’s condemnation of recent Houthi attacks against the kingdom.
Shehbaz said Pakistan stands “shoulder to shoulder” with Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and the sanctity of Islam’s holiest sites.
The statement comes as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have significantly strengthened their formal defence relationship through agreements signed over the past year.
Shehbaz Congratulates Saudi Arabia on National Day
Saudi Arabia celebrates its National Day annually on September 23, commemorating the unification of the kingdom under King Abdulaziz in 1932.
In his message, Prime Minister Shehbaz congratulated King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Saudi people.
He praised Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation and modernization under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The prime minister said Pakistan takes pride in what he described as a historic relationship with Saudi Arabia based on faith, mutual trust and close ties between the peoples of the two countries.
Pakistan Condemns Recent Houthi Attacks
Shehbaz also used his National Day message to reiterate Pakistan’s condemnation of recent Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia.
Particular attention was given to an attempted drone attack targeting Makkah Al-Mukarramah.
The prime minister said threats to the security and sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain — Islam’s two holiest sites in Makkah and Madinah — have significance extending beyond Saudi Arabia because of their importance to Muslims around the world.
Pakistan had already condemned the attempted attack on Makkah on September 16.
At the time, Shehbaz also called on parties involved in the regional confrontation to exercise restraint and argued that dialogue and diplomacy remained the sustainable route towards peace.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia Have a Mutual Defence Agreement
The latest statement has particular significance because Pakistan and Saudi Arabia now have a formal Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed the agreement in Riyadh on September 17, 2025.
According to the official joint statement issued after the signing, the agreement is intended to strengthen defence cooperation and joint deterrence.
Most importantly, it establishes that:
Any aggression against either Pakistan or Saudi Arabia will be considered aggression against both countries.
The provision gives the longstanding Pakistan-Saudi defence relationship a more formal collective-security dimension.
Makkah Agreement Further Expands Defence Cooperation
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia subsequently expanded their defence framework to include Türkiye.
On August 7, 2026, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
The agreement states that an armed attack against any of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against all three.
According to Pakistan’s Press Information Department, the agreement is designed to strengthen collective deterrence and enhance defence cooperation among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
The two agreements therefore operate at different levels.
The 2025 agreement established a bilateral defence framework between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, while the 2026 Makkah agreement created a broader three-country arrangement involving Türkiye.
President Zardari Also Highlights Pakistan-Saudi Ties
President Asif Ali Zardari separately congratulated the Saudi leadership and people on the kingdom’s National Day.
In messages addressed to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the president described Pakistan-Saudi relations as being based on shared history, faith, friendship, mutual trust and solidarity.
Zardari specifically highlighted the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement and Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
He said the agreements had strengthened the strategic dimension of the relationship and contributed to regional peace, stability and security.
Why Saudi Arabia Matters to Pakistan
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia maintain extensive ties extending well beyond defence cooperation.
The relationship includes trade, investment, energy, employment, religious ties and financial cooperation.
Saudi Arabia is also home to a large Pakistani expatriate population, making the kingdom an important source of workers’ remittances for Pakistan.
Religious ties add another dimension because Saudi Arabia is home to Makkah and Madinah, which attract large numbers of Pakistani pilgrims every year for Hajj and Umrah.
These economic, strategic and religious links have helped sustain close relations between Islamabad and Riyadh across successive governments.
Defence Cooperation Has Deepened
Military cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia predates the latest agreements.
The two countries have maintained defence ties for decades through training, military exchanges and other forms of cooperation.
The Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed in 2025, however, formalized the principle that aggression against one country would be considered aggression against the other.
The Makkah agreement signed in August 2026 broadened that concept to Türkiye.
These developments indicate that the Pakistan-Saudi relationship is increasingly being framed not only as a traditional bilateral friendship but also as part of a wider regional security architecture.
Statement Comes During Renewed Regional Tensions
The timing of Shehbaz’s National Day message is significant.
Saudi Arabia has faced renewed security concerns amid fighting involving Yemen’s Houthis and Saudi-backed forces.
Recent Houthi operations have included attacks and threats involving Saudi territory and maritime activity in the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has responded militarily as fighting in Yemen has intensified.
Against this background, Pakistani officials have repeatedly expressed support for Saudi territorial integrity and security.
Pakistan has simultaneously called for restraint and diplomatic efforts to prevent the conflict from escalating further.
Pakistan Continues to Advocate Diplomacy
Pakistan’s support for Saudi security has been accompanied by calls for de-escalation in the wider Middle East.
Following the attempted drone attack on Makkah, Prime Minister Shehbaz urged all sides to exercise maximum restraint.
He said the region had already suffered extensively from conflict and argued that dialogue and diplomacy remained the sustainable path toward peace.
That position reflects Pakistan’s attempt to combine its defence commitments to Saudi Arabia with diplomatic efforts aimed at limiting further regional escalation.
Pakistan-Saudi Relationship Moving Toward a Broader Strategic Partnership
The developments of the past year indicate a significant expansion in formal Pakistan-Saudi defence cooperation.
The September 2025 Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement established a bilateral collective-defence commitment.
The August 2026 Makkah Joint Defence Agreement subsequently expanded the framework to include Türkiye.
Shehbaz’s latest statement on Saudi National Day reinforces Pakistan’s declared commitment to Saudi security while also emphasizing economic development, regional stability and cooperation between the two countries.
With Middle Eastern security conditions remaining volatile, the practical implementation of these agreements — and the extent of future Pakistan-Saudi defence cooperation — will remain an important issue to watch.