Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir meets Saudi Defense Minister (Photo from X)
Pakistan Army Chief and de facto leader of the country Asim Munir met with Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman amid the ever-evolving situation in the Middle East. The meeting comes days after the Saudi Aramco oil refinery was hit and after joint US-Israeli strikes killed Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, prompting Tehran to launch strong retaliatory military operations across the Middle East and raising fears of a broader regional conflict.The Saudi Defense Minister shared details of the meeting on Channel X, highlighting the Iranian strikes on the Kingdom. Sharing a photo with Munir, he wrote: “I met with the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir. We discussed the Iranian attacks on the Kingdom and the necessary measures to stop them within the framework of the Joint Strategic Defense Agreement. We stressed that such measures undermine regional security and stability, and expressed our hope that the Iranian side will be wise and avoid miscalculation.”
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The meeting can be considered of strategic importance. Months ago, according to a Bloomberg report, Turkey sought to establish a defense alliance with nuclear-armed Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the triangular form of an “Islamic NATO,” an effort aimed at reshaping security alliances in the now turbulent Middle East and beyond.
Middle East Crisis: Is Pakistan going to war for Saudi Arabia?
A few days ago, when the Saudi Aramco refinery was subjected to Iranian attacks, Pakistan issued strong reactions, expressing its solidarity with Riyadh as well as with other Gulf countries.
As tensions continue to rise, with Iran continuing its missile and drone attacks, questions are being raised about whether Islamabad’s response will go beyond verbal condemnation, given the 2025 Joint Strategic Defense Agreement with Riyadh.The agreement, which Pakistan and Saudi Arabia initially signed in September, is said to stipulate that “any aggression” against one member will be treated as an attack on all, a provision similar to Article 5 of NATO, under which member states commit to collective defence.Talks about Türkiye possibly joining the arrangement are said to be at an advanced stage, with the possibility of reaching an agreement, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg on condition of anonymity. According to the report, the proposed expansion reflects the increasing overlap in the strategic interests of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan across South Asia, the Middle East and parts of Africa.
Will Pakistan step up?
The treaty’s collective defense clause treats aggression against one party as an attack on both, based on decades of military relations.
However, its core provisions focus on traditional cooperation such as joint exercises, intelligence sharing and drones, without nuclear commitments.Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a phone call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, pledged to provide “full solidarity” and support peace efforts instead of military deployment.Experts say sending troops could drag Pakistan into a broader conflict, increasing pressure on its fragile economy and security situation.Major General Rajan Kochhar (retired) said: “The Saudi-Pakistani defense agreement is more of a political and strategic partnership than a classic NATO-like defense agreement. Pakistan has publicly condemned the Iranian attack on the Saudis and expressed its solidarity and nothing beyond that. Under no circumstances will Pakistan enter into any kind of military intervention because it has enough externally with Afghanistan and internally with the Pakistan Taliban and the Pakistan Liberation Army. This once again exposes the double standards that the Pakistani leadership shows from time to time.”Experts add that Islamabad is more likely to limit its support to diplomacy, logistics or overflight rights rather than sending troops.
