A week after Israel’s missile strike on targets in Qatar, Riyadh and Islamabad signed a sweeping mutual defence pact that is being read as much more than a routine military agreement. Strategic observers suggest the deal effectively brings Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence under Saudi Arabia’s umbrella, marking a major geopolitical shift in West Asia.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the pact in Riyadh on Wednesday, declaring that “any aggression against either country shall be considered an act of aggression against both.” A joint statement spoke of “historic partnership extending for nearly eight decades” and “shared strategic interests,” but stopped short of mentioning Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal – the only one held by a Muslim-major

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