Why is Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif visiting Saudi Arabia amid Gulf tensions?
The leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan are set to meet in Jeddah on Friday amid rising tensions in the Gulf and Red Sea
The leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan are set to meet in Jeddah on Friday amid rising tensions in the Gulf and Red Sea, with Pakistan having recently joined a Saudi-led naval coalition aimed at securing the Red Sea from Houthi attacks. Pakistan's prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has already arrived for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
This will be Sharif's third visit to Riyadh this year. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Atlantic Council founding director Shuja Nawaz said the meeting is likely to produce a "collective framework for cooperation" on military and trade issues rather than a mutual defence pact, adding that the full details are expected to emerge after the talks. He said the three countries have complementary strengths, with Saudi Arabia providing financial resources and energy, while Turkiye and Pakistan contribute advanced defence manufacturing capabilities.
Nawaz argued the arrangement is more likely intended as a deterrent towards Israel than against India or Iran, given the participants' strong economic and strategic ties with both countries. He also said the United States would likely welcome greater regional security cooperation because confidence in Washington's security umbrella has declined. Nawaz added that Saudi Arabia's eventual participation in the Abraham Accords would depend on changes in Israel's policies towards Gaza and Lebanon.
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