Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 01:01pm on 27 Sep 2025,Saturday International
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif clarified that the strategic defence pact with Saudi Arabia was not a direct reaction to Israel’s strike in Qatar, though it may have accelerated the agreement. Asif emphasized the pact formalizes a decades-long defence relationship that was previously transactional. While he had earlier hinted at Pakistan’s nuclear umbrella extending to Riyadh, he later denied nuclear weapons were part of the deal, stating they were “not on the radar.” He declined to discuss specifics, citing the confidential nature of defence pacts. The joint statement highlighted historic ties, Islamic solidarity, and shared strategic interests between the two nations. (PC: X & NDTV)
