Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia marked a historic milestone in the relationship between the two brotherly nations. At Riyadh’s royal palace, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan’s Prime Minister signed the “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA)”, a pact aimed at strengthening defense cooperation and ensuring joint protection against any external aggression. The declaration makes it clear: an attack on one will be considered an attack on both.

This agreement is not just a diplomatic formality. It is the living testimony of eight decades of brotherhood, Islamic solidarity, and trust between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The two countries have always stood by each other in times of trial. For Pakistanis, the protection of the Haramain Sharifain is not only a matter of state policy but also a matter of deep faith and devotion.

The protection of the Two Holy Mosques is a shared responsibility of the Muslim Ummah. Pakistan, being the world’s largest Muslim military power and the only nuclear-armed Muslim nation, adds significant strength to Saudi Arabia’s security framework. This agreement is, in essence, a declaration that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are committed not only to each other’s defense but also to the wider cause of regional and global peace and stability.

During the signing, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conveyed his heartfelt wishes for the Saudi leadership and people, reiterating Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to the security of the Haramain. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in turn, expressed his warm wishes for Pakistan’s prosperity and progress. These gestures reflect that the bond between the two nations is not limited to governments alone but runs deep within the hearts of their people.

The Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement stands as a landmark in countering future threats and safeguarding the collective interests of the Muslim Ummah. It sends a clear message to adversaries: the protection of the Haramain and Pakistan’s security are intertwined, and any aggression against either will be treated as aggression against both and by extension, against the entire Ummah.

For both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, this is the beginning of a new chapter. The agreement will not only fortify defense ties but also open doors to expanded economic and diplomatic cooperation. In the shifting dynamics of the region, this pact is a bold declaration that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will stand shoulder to shoulder, in every circumstance.