Pakistan has categorically declared that the strategic mutual defense agreement signed with Saudi Arabia stresses that the common commitment of the two countries towards regional peace and security, stressing that the Pact is not intended to threaten any other nation, reported Associated Press of Pakitan (APP).
In his weekly media briefing, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, said on Friday that Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had signed a historic defense agreement during Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Riyadh, in order to strengthen defense cooperation.
The agreement was signed following official talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud, on September 17.
“The two leaders reaffirmed the historical and strategic partnership which lasted almost eight decades, rooted in Islamic solidarity, shared values and close cooperation of defense,” noted the spokesman.
He added that by virtue of the agreement, any aggression against one or the other country will be considered as an aggression against the two, thus emphasizing the depth of mutual trust and the commitment of joint deterrence.
According to Ambassador Khan, Prime Minister Sharif expressed a deep gratitude for the warm welcome of the kingdom and generous hospitality, and has argued the best wishes for the continuous well-being of the goalkeeper of the two holy mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, as well as the progress and prosperity of the Saudi people. The Crown Prince, in turn, aroused warm wishes for the peace and development of Pakistan.
The spokesman stressed that the Prime Minister’s visit also presented himself in the context of the Arab-Islamic emergency summit held in Doha on September 15, summoned after Israel’s air strikes on Qatar.
Prime Minister Sharif led the Pakistan delegation at the summit, joined by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Defense, Minister of Information and Chief of the Army Staff, Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
Ambassador Khan said that Prime Minister in his speech at the top has strongly condemned the Israeli aggression and reaffirmed “Pakistan’s flawless commitment to the Palestinian cause and solidarity with Qatar and other Muslim states confronted with illegal hostilities”.
He underlined the appeal of Pakistan to the United Nations Human Rights Council for an urgent debate on the actions of Israel, and underlined the need for Islamic unity to face “increasing Israeli adventurism”.
The joint press release adopted at the summit, he added, demonstrated “the collective determination of more than 50 Arab and Islamic states to hold Israel responsible for its repeated violations of international law and human rights.
On the sidelines of the summit, Prime Minister Sharif held bilateral meetings with the Emir of Qatar, the Saudi Crown Prince, the King of Jordan and the Presidents of Egypt and Iran, promoting the diplomatic awareness of Pakistan.
The spokesperson also informed parallel diplomatic commitments, including the president of the Pakistan in progress in China, where the agreements were signed on agriculture, vocational training and environmental cooperation, as well as the recent telephone exchanges of the United States.
Ambassador Khan concluded by reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to strengthen his historical partnerships with Saudi Arabia, China and other allies, while maintaining principle for peace, sovereignty and rights of oppressed peoples, in particular in Palestine and Kashmir.
