Pakistan has deployed a military force along with fighter jets to Saudi Arabia as part of a joint defence cooperation agreement between the two countries, according to a statement from the Saudi defence ministry.
The ministry said that the Pakistani military contingent, including fighter and support aircraft from the Pakistan Air Force, arrived at King Abdulaziz Air Base in Saudi Arabia’s eastern province. The deployment is aimed at strengthening joint defence cooperation and improving operational readiness between the armed forces of both nations.
Officials said the move is intended to enhance military coordination and reinforce shared security commitments under existing agreements between Islamabad and Riyadh.
According to multiple sources, the deployment comes after recent regional tensions, including reported strikes on key energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and rising concerns about potential escalation in the Middle East. Some reports indicated that an Iranian strike had damaged critical facilities, raising fears of possible retaliation in the region.
A senior Pakistani official, speaking anonymously, said the forces are not intended for offensive operations but are positioned to support defensive readiness and reassure Saudi Arabia amid heightened security concerns.
The development is also seen in the context of broader regional diplomacy efforts, including ongoing ceasefire negotiations involving Iran and the United States, where Pakistan has played a mediating role.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share long-standing defence and strategic ties, including military training cooperation, economic support, and energy partnerships. The relationship has deepened further in recent years through formal defence agreements.
In September last year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement,” under which any attack on either country would be treated as an attack on both.
Officials from both Pakistan’s military and the Saudi government have not yet issued detailed public comments on the deployment.
