Riyadh: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Riyadh to a full royal welcome, flanked by Saudi F-15 jets and a red carpet. On Wednesday, he joined Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to sign a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA).

The signing at Al-Yamamah Palace included senior officials from both nations. Saudi Arabia, the custodian of Islam’s holiest sites, and Pakistan, the Muslim world’s only nuclear power, reinforced decades of ties that stretch back nearly eighty years.

The agreement comes at a time of heightened regional tension. Israeli attacks on Gaza, strikes on neighbouring states and last week’s assault on Qatar have unsettled Gulf politics. Pakistan and India recently fought a four-day military exchange in May, heightening South Asia’s instability.

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