Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday evoked hope of Turkey and Qatar joining Islamabad’s mutual defence pact with Saudi Arabia, raising the possibility of creating an “Islamic NATO”.
“Islamic NATO” is a term coined by the mainstream media to refer to a partnership among various Muslim-dominated nations, such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.
Asif told local media outlet Hum News that talks on the deal were at different stages of completion and could include the above countries in the future.
Pakistan signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” with Saudi Arabia last year, which stated that any act of aggression against either nation would be deemed as an attack on both. However, the pact drew concerns from Pakistani citizens amid the ongoing war in West Asia, fearing Islamabad’s involvement in the conflict due to the strikes on Saudi Arabia by Iran.
“If Qatar and Turkey also join this existing agreement, it will be a welcome development,” said Asif, reinforcing the efforts to establish a like-minded military alliance with Islamic nations.
Asif justified the existence of such an alliance as a measure to strengthen regional stability and collective security.
The current agreement aims to deepen military cooperation, arms deals, joint exercises, and mutual-defence understandings. However, it is not a formal alliance with NATO-style treaty guarantees.
Asif maintained that the pact was not targeted towards any country but was meant to improve regional stability and reduce external dependence.
He said, “Dependence will remain in the world; there is a community, an international community in which all countries are linked economically and otherwise, but for peace in one’s own region, I think this pact is not against anyone, but it is very important to protect peace within our region.”
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Arabian Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud signed the deal during Sharif’s visit to Riyadh last year.
India has also stated that it would look into the pact’s effects on the country’s national security, and regional and global security.
