ISLAMABAD: The Saudi defence ministry said on Saturday that a military force from Pakistan had arrived at the King Abdulaziz Air Base in Dhahran, Arab News reported.
The ministry said the Pakistani deployment aimed to strengthen a joint defence cooperation agreement signed between the two brotherly countries.
“The Pakistani force consists of fighter and support aircraft belonging to the Pakistan Air Force, with the aim of enhancing joint military coordination, raising the level of operational readiness between the armed forces of the two countries,” it added.
The deployment is meant to boost the kingdom’s security.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long shared a multifaceted relationship rooted in strategic military cooperation, mutual economic interests, and shared Islamic heritage. These ties have encompassed economic assistance and energy supplies, with Riyadh being a significant source of financial aid and oil for Islamabad.
Deployment under joint defence cooperation agreement aims to boost kingdom’s security
In September last year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” in Riyadh, pledging that any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both.
On March 3, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar disclosed that Pakistan’s diplomatic intervention helped deter heavier Iranian strikes on Saudi Arabia.
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir had also met Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud on March 7 to discuss the ongoing Middle East conflict and Iran’s attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Later, PM Shehbaz held a “restricted meeting” with the Saudi crown prince in Saudi Arabia, expressing Pakistan’s “full solidarity and support” for the kingdom.
The prime minister’s visit to the kingdom came amid intense hostilities in the Middle East, where Gulf countries — including Saudi Arabia — were facing Iranian attacks, which Tehran said were aimed at US and Israeli sites in response to the latter’s deadly large-scale strikes.
On Friday, PM Shehbaz emphasised Pakistan’s strong commitment to expanding its cooperation with Saudi Arabia in all spheres, particularly in trade, investment, and economic development, during a meeting with Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah al Jadaan.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2026
