- By Ajeet Kumar
- Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:25 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Shehbaz Sharif assured Saudi Arabia of 'shoulder to shoulder' support.
- Pakistan PM avoided mentioning the crucial defense pact with Riyadh.
- Islamabad offered to host peace talks between Iran and the US.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday pledged support to Saudi Arabia by posing “shoulder to shoulder”, but did not utter a word on the defence pact between the two countries. It is interesting to recall that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had reached a defence agreement in September last year after a US-led strike on Iranian nuclear sites triggered panic in the Middle Eastern countries.
What is Saudi-Pak defence pact?
According to the pact, Pakistan will provide its nuclear shield to Saudi Arabia in case of attack. The pact mentions that any aggression against either country shall be considered as an act of aggression against both. The 'Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement' was signed during Shehbaz Sharif’s state visit to Riyadh last year.
When the Iranian military launched a retaliatory strike against US military bases in Saudi Arabia, it was obvious that the agreement should be activated immediately. However, Pakistan did not come to the rescue and only condemned the airstrikes that reportedly damaged US bases in the Middle East region.
What has Sharif promised to Saudi Arabia amid Iranian attacks?
Earlier on Sunday, when Sharif met Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Islamabad, it was expected that he would speak about the defence pact. However, not many were surprised after Islamabad shared no words on the nuclear umbrella it had promised to Riyadh the previous year.
Foreign Minister of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud calls on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad. 29 March 2026.#PakistanforPeace pic.twitter.com/gGPJMfCpDd
— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) March 29, 2026
According to the statement released by the Pakistani Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif assured to stand “shoulder to shoulder”.
Islamabad: 29 March 2026.
— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) March 29, 2026
Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia calls on the Prime Minister.
His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif this evening.
The Prime Minister was assisted by…
"While reaffirming Pakistan's full and unwavering solidarity and support with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Prime Minister appreciated the remarkable restraint exercised by Saudi Arabia amid the current crisis and assured the Saudi Foreign Minister that Pakistan would always stand shoulder to shoulder with Saudi Arabia," according to the statement.
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Pakistan to host Iran-US peace talks with a big question on security
Notably, Pakistan on Sunday hosted a quadrilateral summit of foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye, to discuss the ongoing conflict in West Asia and efforts to negotiate peace. Soon after the talks were held between the top leaders in Islamabad, Pakistan, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed the offer of hosting peace talks between Iran and the US. But he did not confirm whether US President Donald Trump or any other US negotiator is willing to travel to Islamabad amid security concerns.
It is worth mentioning that violent attacks were carried out at the US Embassy in Islamabad in response to the killing of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28.