Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said it was signed recently Parker Sudy National Defense Agreement While the previous “dealing” relationship between the two countries is “formalized”, there is a question of whether the agreement involves nuclear weapons.
Asif is interview With reporter Mehdi Hasan Zeteo. The full interview is behind the paywall, but the media company shared five minutes of previews and editing on social media.
On September 17, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a “strategic mutual defense” in Riyadh and promised that any attack on any country would be regarded as an act of aggression against both.
The timing of the agreement follows Arab Summit This marks a shift to collective security- Israel’s attack About Qatar – It implies that it originates from current world affairs and reflects the defense concerns of both countries. It was also months after the deadly India-Pakistan conflict in May and the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
Before, Asif had suggestion Pakistan’s nuclear energy can be provided to Riyadh under the new framework. However, in subsequent interviews, the minister denied that nuclear weapons were part of the agreement, saying they were “not on the radar.”
In the preview of the release Zeteos On Friday night’s website, Hassan asked Asif about the defense agreement.
“What is right is it Israeli bombing or Qatar? He asked.
“This is not a reaction to what happened in Qatar, because it has been going on for quite some time. So it is not a reaction; maybe it must have accelerated a little bit, but that’s all. It’s already bursting,” Asif replied. ”
Hassan then pointed out that Pakistan is the only nuclear force in the Muslim world and noted that Saudi Arabia expressed interest in the second one. He also pointed out that Asif had statement The nuclear weapons in the agreement are “not on the radar.”
“Are you protected by Pakistan’s nuclear umbrellas under this agreement?” he asked.
“We have a long defensive relationship with Saudi Arabia, tense for five to sixty years. We have a military presence there, maybe at peak more than four or five thousand, and we still have a military presence there. Deal,” Asif replied.
“With or without nuclear weapons?” Hassan probed.
However, the Minister avoids detailed introductions.
“I will avoid getting into the details, but it is a defense agreement and usually does not discuss the defense agreement publicly,” he said.
Hassan then pointed out that journalist Bob Woodward in his 2024 book warhas quoted the ratings of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who can “buy” bombs from Pakistan.
The minister replied: “I think it’s just a sensation (…) No, I don’t believe this.”
“So, are you not engaged in the business of selling nuclear weapons to Saudi Arabia?”
“No. We are very responsible people,” Asif replied.
pak-china tie
In a separate video shared on Instagram, Hassan asked the minister whether Pakistan’s current close ties with the United States could put its important ties with China at jeopardize.
“Obviously, the United States and China are in Lockhead,” he said.
Asif replied: “No, we are not worried that this is a time-test relationship with China since the late 1950s.”
When further investigations into Pakistan’s “flirting” with the United States, the minister said China was not worried about this.
“Are you in China or in the United States? It can’t be both,” Hassan pointed out.
The minister replied that China is a “very reliable ally” for Pakistan.
“Our main sectors are from China. Our defense cooperation is increasing. It’s stronger than before,” he said, adding that this is due to “the unreliability of other sources like the United States.”
“So, you’re basically talking about your strategic future with China, not the United States?” Hassan asked.
The minister said: “Yes (…) they are reliable, they are our neighbors. We share the boundaries, we share the geography.”
Imran Khan arrested
In another clip posted on Instagram, Hassan asked the incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan and asked why he was arrested.
“That’s the problem with Pakistan: whenever you come to power, you’re imprisoning each other (…) if it’s unjust to you, unjust to Imran?” he asked.
The Minister asserted that this was not a criminal measure.
However, Hassan later pointed out that Amnesty International has released a report on Imran’s arrest, while the United Nations said there was no legal basis for Imran’s imprisonment and was called arbitrary.
Asif replied: “Well, I think they have opinions that I disagree with.”
“Their opinion is that you are breaking the law,” Hassan said.
“No, we did not violate the law,” Asif asserted.
“The situation in Pakistan is that we are trying to recover from very, very useful rules or anything you can call three years and three years,” the minister said.
He further stated that during his tenure in Imran, the entire family was arrested.
