Pakistan extends nuclear umbrella to Saudi Arabia: source close to govt | International

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Sept 22, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Pakistan's nuclear umbrella will cover Saudi Arabia, a source close to the kingdom's government told AFP on Sunday, days after the two allies signed a surprise mutual defence treaty. The source told AFP that the deal had been in the works for years and that Saudi Arabia expected Pakistan's arch-rival India to understand the kingdom's security needs. When asked if the deal meant Pakistan's nuclear weapons could be used to defend Saudi Arabia, Ali Shihabi, an analyst close to the royal court, told AFP: "Yes, it does". "Nuclear is integral to this deal and Pakistan remembers that the kingdom effectively financed their nuclear programme and supported them when they were sanctioned," he...