Saudi Arabia Reassesses Pakistan Ties After Military Support Refusal

The Government of Saudi Arabia is reassessing its strategic partnership with Pakistan following Islamabad's refusal to provide military assistance during Iranian attacks in March 2026. Despite a September 2025 Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement designed as a NATO-like arrangement where an attack on one party is treated as an attack on both, Pakistan offered only diplomatic support.

Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir informed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that the military cannot deploy troops due to ongoing operations against militant groups in Afghanistan under Operation Ghazab Lil Haq. While Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed diplomatic solidarity, Saudi leadership views the agreement as a hollow arrangement. The tension follows a February 28 US-Israeli attack on Iran, which triggered Iranian retaliatory strikes on Gulf states.

Reports from the Middle East Media Research Institute suggest Pakistan is using the Afghanistan conflict as a pretext to avoid its commitments and avoid provoking Iran or triggering domestic sectarian tensions. Although Army Chief Asim Munir met with Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman on March 6-7 to discuss coordination, the alliance has remained functionally symbolic.