- Defence minister says Pakistan–KSA security cooperation spans 5–6 decades, saying pact formalised long-standing partnership, not create a new one
- Reiterates Pakistan’s stance that nuclear weapons are for deterrence, not use
- Credits hybrid governance model for stability, Saudi pact, and progress in US relations
NEW YORK/ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has clarified that Pakistan’s recently signed defence agreement with Saudi Arabia is not linked to Israel’s attack on Qatar, but rather the culmination of decades of military cooperation between Islamabad and Riyadh. He said the pact formalises a long-standing security relationship, while also underscoring Pakistan’s nuclear restraint and evolving hybrid governance model.
In an interview with British-born American journalist Mehdi Hasan, Khawaja Asif explained that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia’s defence ties stretch back five to six decades, with Pakistani troops historically stationed in the Kingdom. At one point, he noted, nearly 4,000 to 5,000 personnel were deployed on Saudi soil, many of whom remain in advisory and training roles.
Watch the full conversation here: https://t.co/MFJcV7tkLA
— Zeteo (@zeteo_news) September 26, 2025
“The purpose of the recent agreement was to shape this partnership into a regular structure rather than to forge something entirely new,” Asif said. He added that the pact “only practicalised defensive relations that have been established for a long time,” which had previously operated on a transaction-by-transaction basis.
On the subject of nuclear weapons, the defence minister reiterated Pakistan’s long-standing stance on restraint. “After Hiroshima and Nagasaki, no nuclear power is in favour of using these weapons,” he said, affirming Pakistan’s commitment to tolerance-based global values on non-proliferation.
Turning to domestic issues, Khawaja Asif reflected on Pakistan’s political journey, admitting that “our democracy has not reached its peak, but we are on the path.” Sharing his own experience, he recalled spending six months in jail without any crime, framing it as part of the country’s evolving democratic struggle.
Separately, Khawaja Asif defended Pakistan’s hybrid governance model, crediting it with strengthening national stability, boosting defence capabilities, and elevating the country’s diplomatic profile.
In a statement on X, he claimed the model had enabled Pakistan to “prevail in the recent military confrontation imposed by India” and opened doors for strategic breakthroughs such as the defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and “unprecedented progress” in ties with the United States.
بھارت پہ فتح، سعودی عرب کے ساتھ دفاعی معاہدہ اور پاک امریکہ تعلقات میں بے مثال پیش رفت۔ 2025کامیابیوں سے بھر پور سال الحمدوللہ
ھائُبرڈ نظام کی پارٹنر شپ کی کامیابیوں کا تسلسل ۔ اللہ اکبر pic.twitter.com/ujHbwDDTsU— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) September 25, 2025
“Alhamdulillah, 2025 is a year full of successes, and the hybrid system’s partnership is moving forward with remarkable achievements,” he wrote.
Earlier this year, in remarks to Arab News, the defence minister had acknowledged the military’s enhanced role in governance, calling it an “effective arrangement” for coordination and stability, even if “not an ideal democratic government.” He pointed to initiatives like the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), where civilian and military leaders jointly shape policy, ensuring what he described as “co-ownership” of power.
Khawaja Asif further argued that decision-making in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government occurs through consensus with the military establishment, suggesting Pakistan’s democratic journey might have been smoother had such a model been adopted earlier.
For the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Sharif family, he added, compromise with the military remains “the only realistic option” to ensure political and national stability.
