Pakistan Confirms Nuclear Deterrent Could Extend to Saudi Arabia

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif has confirmed that the country’s nuclear capabilities “will be made available” to Saudi Arabia if required, marking the first clear acknowledgment that Islamabad’s nuclear umbrella could extend to the Kingdom.

Speaking in a televised interview with Geo TV on Thursday, Asif emphasized that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, developed and tested in the 1990s, serves as a cornerstone of the country’s defense strategy and is intended to provide credible deterrence.

“What we have, and the capabilities we possess, will be made available to [Saudi Arabia] according to this agreement,” Asif said, adding that Pakistani forces are trained and equipped for potential battlefield deployment of nuclear weapons if necessary.

The remarks highlight the significance of the recently signed defense pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, which stipulates that an attack on one country would be considered an attack on both.

Asif clarified that the pact does not identify any specific adversary. “This is an umbrella arrangement offered to one another by both sides: if there is aggression against either party—from any side—it will be jointly defended, and the aggression will be met with a response,” he said.

The announcement is expected to intensify regional security discussions, given the strategic implications of extending nuclear deterrence beyond Pakistan’s borders.