Pakistan says its nuclear program can be made available to Saudi Arabia under defence pact

Pakistan’s Defence Minister mentioned the nation’s nuclear program “will be made available” to Saudi Arabia if wanted under the international locations’ new defence pact, marking the primary particular acknowledgment that Islamabad had put the dominion under its nuclear umbrella.

Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif’s feedback late Thursday (September 18, 2025) night time underlined the significance of the pact struck this week between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, which have had army ties for many years.

The transfer is seen by analysts as a sign to Israel, lengthy believed to be the Middle East’s solely nuclear-armed nation. It comes after Israel’s assault concentrating on Hamas leaders in Qatar final week killed six individuals and sparked new considerations amongst Gulf Arab nations about their security amid the Israel-Hamas warfare that is devastated the Gaza Strip and set the area on edge.

Speaking to Geo TV in an interview, Mr. Asif made the feedback whereas answering a query on whether or not “the deterrence that Pakistan gets from nuclear weapons” will be made available to Saudi Arabia.

“Let me make one point clear about Pakistan’s nuclear capability: that capability was established long ago when we conducted tests. Since then, we have forces trained for the battlefield,” Mr. Asif said.

“What we have, and the capabilities we possess, will be made available to (Saudi Arabia) according to this agreement,” he added.

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The two international locations signed a defence deal Wednesday declaring that an assault on one nation would be an assault on each.

Neither nation has responded to questions concerning the pact and what it meant with reference to probably accessing Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.

Saudi Arabia has lengthy been linked to Pakistan’s nuclear program. Retired Pakistani Brigadier General Feroz Hassan Khan has mentioned Saudi Arabia offered “generous financial support to Pakistan that enabled the nuclear program to continue, especially when the country was under sanctions.”

Pakistan confronted U.S. sanctions for years over its pursuit of the bomb, and noticed new ones imposed over its ballistic missile work on the finish of the Biden administration.

Pakistan developed its nuclear weapons program to counter India’s atomic bombs. India is believed to have an estimated 172 nuclear warheads, whereas Pakistan has 170, in accordance to the U.S.-published Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.