The strategic partnership and joint defense agreement between Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia represent a pivotal step in the path of regional and international alliances. Indeed, it can be considered the beginning of a shift in the balance of power in the Middle East. This agreement goes beyond traditional defense arrangements between two countries bound by religious and historical ties. Rather, it proposes a new vision based on self-reliance in building defense capabilities and Arab and Islamic military industries, with Arab funding and Pakistani and Islamic expertise, arms, and minds.
اضافة اعلان
This vision comes at a pivotal moment following the Israeli strike on Qatar and the subsequent refusal of the United States to intervene or defend itself through Al-Udeid Air Base, the largest American military base in the region. Washington's silence at that moment sent a clear message to the Gulf and Islamic states that national security cannot remain dependent on the commitments or promises of major powers.
Rather, it requires the establishment of new alliances based on shared interest and self-sufficiency. Pakistan, as a nuclear power with extensive military and armament expertise, represents a natural foundation for this project. Its history of developing military industries, from missiles to drones, makes it a reliable partner for building a joint military-industrial base that contributes to enhancing Arab and Islamic security.
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia possesses the vast financial, logistical, and political capabilities to provide the financial and diplomatic cover necessary for the success of this initiative. Therefore, the integration of Arab finance with Pakistani and Islamic expertise could establish a new era of self-sufficiency, free from dependence on the West.
This shift reflects not only a circumstantial response to an attack or crisis, but also a growing awareness among political elites in the Arab and Islamic world that longstanding dependence on the West has not achieved the desired stability. For decades, the region has relied on the American or European security umbrella, while remaining vulnerable to political fluctuations and double standards, with this umbrella sometimes used for political pressure rather than actual protection.
Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish an Arab-Islamic defense alliance similar in structure to NATO, serving as an "Arab-Islamic NATO" capable of confronting common challenges, from direct regional threats to combating terrorism and cyberwarfare.
The establishment of a broad Islamic defense alliance will not be limited to the military dimension alone but will extend to creating an integrated system that opens the door to unprecedented economic and commercial cooperation. The defense initiative can form the basis for building a common Arab-Islamic market that enhances trade exchange and drives economic integration. Establishing this common market will give Arab and Islamic countries greater capacity to invest their natural and human resources and will create a unified environment for the flow of capital and investment, achieving growth and development and reducing dependence on Western markets.
The symbolic dimension of this step is no less important than its strategic dimension. The partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia conveys the message that the Islamic world can forge its alliances, free from international tutelage. It serves as a reminder that the Islamic nation possesses the elements of strength, from vast natural resources to a strategic geographic location linking the continents of the world, as well as the human and scientific potential that can contribute to building a true defense and commercial industrial renaissance. Transformation here is not simply about producing weapons or establishing military bases, but rather about creating a new mindset that believes solutions come from within, and that political independence is only complete with economic and military independence.
This vision may face significant challenges, both from Western powers that view any Arab-Islamic defense independence as a threat to their strategic and economic interests, and from internal divisions among Arab and Islamic states themselves.
However, external pressure, such as the lack of a US response to the recent crisis, is likely to contribute to strengthening a shared awareness of the need to overcome differences. The European experience after World War II is a prime example of how shared interests can overcome political obstacles and historical differences and build strong and sustainable alliances.
The Arab and Islamic world today stands before a rare historic opportunity. The regional turmoil and fragility exposed by the Western security umbrella provide the opportunity to build a new strategic project. The Saudi-Pakistani partnership could be the spark that opens the door to expanding the circle to include countries such as Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Egypt, laying the foundations for a massive defense and economic alliance capable of serving as a balancing pole in the international system. In a world moving toward multipolarity, a unified Arab-Islamic alliance becomes a necessity, not an option.
The Saudi-Pakistani Joint Defense Agreement is not merely a bilateral document; it heralds the beginning of a new era of Arab and Islamic strategic thinking. It is a call to build an independent military and economic force based on Arab funding and Pakistani and Islamic expertise and lays the foundation for a phase of commercial integration through a common Arab-Islamic market. If this initiative succeeds, it will not only shift the balance of power in the Middle East but will also reshape the role of the Arab and Islamic world in the international system, from a position of dependency to that of an independent actor capable of defending its interests and shaping its future.
