ISLMABAD: Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Sunday unveiled what he described as the first comprehensive study on the recently signed Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Defence Agreement, calling it a landmark development that places Islamabad back at the centre of Middle Eastern security dynamics.
Prepared by the Pakistan-China Institute, the 31-page report titled Pakistan & Saudi Arabia: Muslim World’s Strategic Security Partners reviews the significance of the accord concluded on September 17, 2025.
It contains a foreword by Senator Mushahid, outlines the implications of the pact, and traces the history of military cooperation between the two states. It also features a fact sheet on key diplomatic milestones and Pakistan’s long-standing record of providing defence support to Muslim nations.
Speaking at the launch, the senator said the agreement reflected the “vision and resolve” of two decision-makers — Pakistan’s Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). He praised the Saudi leader as a “Muslim reformer” reshaping his country with the transformative impact of a “Deng Xiaoping-style figure.”
Mushahid identified three central drivers behind the deal: Pakistan’s enhanced credibility following its May 2025 military confrontation with India, the erosion of regional trust in US security guarantees after Israel’s attack on Qatar, and the growing perception of Israel’s expansionist posture as the principal threat to Muslim states.
“After half a century, Pakistan is once again playing a direct role as a net security provider for the Middle East’s pivotal country,” Mushahid remarked, recalling how Pakistani pilots flew combat missions during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war and how the 1974 Lahore Islamic Summit, sponsored by King Faisal, elevated the Palestinian cause.
The senator argued that the Israeli strike on Qatar, despite the presence of the largest American base in the region, underscored Washington’s declining reliability as a guarantor of Gulf security. “Muslim countries are now exploring new security options, and Pakistan, with its proven military capacity, has emerged as a credible alternative,” he said.
He also linked the agreement to Pakistan’s recent battlefield successes against India, including the downing of advanced Israeli drones during cross-border hostilities, saying this performance strengthened Pakistan’s image as a capable military power.
According to Mushahid, leaders from Egypt to Iran welcomed the pact as a foundation for Muslim military solidarity. He said it also dealt a blow to the Indo-Israeli strategic partnership and effectively nullified the IMEC corridor project announced in 2023, which he described as having been “buried under the rubble of Gaza and the sands of Arabia.”
Concluding, the senator said the Pakistan-Saudi alliance combined “Pakistan’s military muscle with Saudi Arabia’s economic strength,” offering a new model of regional deterrence. He urged Muslim think tanks to prepare for a “battle of ideas” to counter disinformation and shape narratives in favour of Muslim world solidarity.
This is the third major report launched by the Pakistan-China Institute this year, following earlier studies on the May 2025 Pakistan-India confrontation and the Rwanda-Congo peace process.
