Pakistan has sent fighter jets and support aircraft to Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Air Base in the Eastern Province. This marks the first major military deployment under a new mutual defence pact signed in September 2025. The Saudi Ministry of Defence confirmed that the Pakistan Air Force jets and personnel landed on Saturday.
The Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement was signed in Riyadh during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit. Under this pact, any attack on one country will be considered an attack on both. It builds on decades of close defence ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Defence experts see the jet deployment as a practical step to put the new pact into action. It shows growing trust and cooperation between the two brotherly nations. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia already share strong economic and people-to-people links, with millions of Pakistanis working in the Kingdom.
The arrival of Pakistani jets is expected to enhance air defence capabilities and joint training. Both sides hope this will contribute to peace and security across the wider region.
It comes as Islamabad balances its role in regional diplomacy with stronger military ties in the Gulf. The coming months will show how this cooperation develops further.
