Pakistan to “Make Available” Nuclear Deterrent to Saudi Arabia Under Defense Pact

Pakistan will make available its nuclear deterrence to Saudi Arabia under the new defense pact the two countries signed earlier this week marking the first time an Arab nation will have access to nuclear weapons.

Pakistan’s defense minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif has confirmed that his country’s nuclear deterrent “will be made available” to Saudi Arabia if required under their newly signed defense pact.

The Defense Minister  made the remarks in a televised interview with Geo TV late Thursday, saying Pakistan’s nuclear capability — developed and tested in the 1990s — was designed to provide credible deterrence and remains a central pillar of the country’s defense posture.

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

He added that Pakistani forces are trained and equipped for battlefield deployment of nuclear deterrence if necessary.

The defense pact signed Wednesday between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia declares that an attack on one nation would be considered an attack on both.

Asif stressed that the pact does not name any specific adversary. “This is an umbrella arrangement offered to one another by both sides: if there is aggression against either party — from any side — it will be jointly defended, and the aggression will be met with a response,” he said.

Pakistan’s nuclear weapons:

Pakistan is believed to have a stockpile of approximately 160 warheads, making it the 6th largest nuclear arsenal in the world. Experts project that it may have the 5^th largest arsenal by 2025 with 220-250 warheads, according to the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.

Pakistan has tested several “nuclear capable missiles” with range of 500 kms to 1000 kms and is believed to be working on a submarine-launched capability.