Expanding the Pact
Publishing date: 06 November 2025
Published in: The Nation
After securing a historic mutual defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and expanding bilateral cooperation in military production, Pakistan’s decision to offer Qatar a similar arrangement is both logical and strategic—not just for Pakistan but for the evolving regional security framework reshaping the Middle East.
President Asif Ali Zardari met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Second World Summit for Social Development, signalling Islamabad’s intent to deepen defence and diplomatic ties.
Reports indicate that the Qatari Emir responded positively, recognising the unique strengths that make Pakistan an invaluable defence partner in the region. Pakistan is one of the few nations maintaining strategic relations across multiple fronts—with China, the West, the Gulf, Anatolia, the Caucasus, and Iran. It possesses a battle-tested military, a patriotic populace, and a demonstrated willingness to act in support of the broader Muslim world.
These factors resonate particularly with Qatar. While Pakistan’s new pact has been signed with Saudi Arabia, it was Qatar that faced direct aggression from Israel despite hosting the largest US military base in the region. Qatar, too, has learned the hard way that its Western partners prioritise political expediency over loyalty, siding with Israel’s actions even as Doha has invested billions in the United States and supplied vital strategic resources. Pakistan must now work to bring Qatar into the emerging Pakistan–Saudi defence framework and advance the long-discussed concept of a Muslim defence alliance. The reality is stark: no external power will protect Muslim nations; they must protect themselves. In a world that grants impunity to Israel’s excesses, collective regional security is no longer an aspiration but a necessity.
At this juncture, Pakistan’s leadership is pivotal. It must deploy its full diplomatic weight to expand the network of defence cooperation and production partnerships it is building across the Middle East—cementing its role as a central pillar of regional stability and security.