Pakistan has sent thousands of troops, fighter jets, drones, and an air defense system to Saudi Arabia amid fears of a wider regional conflict over the Iran war, Reuters reports.
The force includes some 8,000 troops, a squadron of around 16 JF-17 fighter jets, two drone squadrons, and a Chinese-made HQ-9 air defense system, Reuters quoted three security officials and two government sources as saying.
The report said the deployment had begun in early April. The aircraft and defense systems will be paid for by Saudi Arabia and operated by Pakistani forces.
The deployment was a large, combat-ready force to help Saudi Arabia should it come under further attack, officials told Reuters.
The move comes after an agreement on mutual defense was signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Sept. 17, 2024. Under that pact, an attack on either country is to be regarded as an attack on both, Reuters reported.
For decades, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have maintained close military and financial ties. For a long time, Pakistan has enjoyed defense cooperation with Saudi Arabia, and the latter has provided economic support to Pakistan.
The latest deployment comes at a sensitive moment for Islamabad. Diplomatically, Pakistan has also been working to defuse the US-Iran conflict. Separately, Reuters reported that Pakistan had passed on a proposal from Iran to Washington to try to halt the war.
That leaves Pakistan in a dual role, supporting diplomacy while also shoring up Saudi Arabia’s defenses under the mutual defense pact.
The report frames the deployment as defensive support for Saudi Arabia, anticipating further escalation in the region.
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