The arrival of Pakistani military forces in Saudi Arabia days ago is raising questions about the objectives of Islamabad’s growing security presence in the Middle East, particularly as Pakistan hosts talks between the United States and Iran aimed at containing the war that erupted between them in February.
The military deployment coincides with unannounced tensions in relations between Islamabad and Abu Dhabi, which has asked Pakistan to repay a $3.5 billion financial deposit. That move was followed by financial support from Riyadh and Doha totaling $5 billion, in a step that appeared to respond to the Emirati action.
Between hosting talks between Washington and Tehran and bolstering its security presence in the Gulf, Pakistan appears to be moving steadily to seize what it sees as an opportune moment to expand its role in the Middle East, drawing on a network of relationships built over years with rival parties.
“Pakistan is an emerging player in the Middle East” said Kamran Bokhari, a senior director at the New Lines Institute. “They are defending Saudi infrastructure and Saudi facilities. And also serve as sort of a symbolic posturing to Iran that, look, we’re working with you and we’re mediating between you and the United States, but we are allies with the Saudis. So it serves that symbolic signaling purpose as well,” he added.
On April 11, the Saudi Defense Ministry said Pakistan had sent fighter jets and other military forces to the kingdom as part of a joint defense agreement signed by the two countries last September, which stipulates that any “aggression” against one would be considered an attack on both.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif began an official visit to the region on Wednesday, starting in Jeddah before heading to Doha on Thursday. He is then scheduled to travel from the Qatari capital to Turkey to attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum and meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
At the same time, reports indicate a second round of peace negotiations between the United States and Iran could be held soon in Islamabad.
Saudi military expert and security adviser Mohammed al-Qubayban said the presence of Pakistani forces in Saudi Arabia “is not directed at any specific country, but falls within the concept of deterrence and preparedness for any developments that could spiral out of control.”
He added that relations between Pakistan and Iran are good, and that the move “is not aimed at Tehran, but rather comes within the framework of joint defense and enhanced military coordination between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.”
Retired Saudi Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Saleh al-Harbi said the presence of Pakistani forces at King Abdulaziz Air Base is intended to raise readiness levels and strengthen joint exercises and training.
Al-Harbi said the treaty signed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, which considers an attack on one as an attack on both, underscores “the importance of the current timing amid a regional phase marked by tension and uncertainty.”
However, it is clear that Islamabad’s moves in the region have not been welcomed by the United Arab Emirates, which differs with Saudi Arabia on several regional issues, from Yemen to Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Libya.
The disagreements between the two Gulf states have extended to Pakistan. In a surprise move, Abu Dhabi asked Islamabad to repay a $3.5 billion deposit dating back to 2018 without delay, placing Pakistan in an economically difficult position.
The Emirati step was met with a Saudi move aimed at easing pressure on Pakistan. Riyadh announced Thursday that it had extended a $5 billion deposit at Pakistan’s central bank and provided an additional $3 billion deposit.
“Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed this agreement, this defense agreement, which probably made Saudi Arabia feel that, sorry, UAE feel that, okay, Pakistan is siding with Saudi Arabia. And also, at the same time, the UAE-Saudi Arabia conflict was going on because of Yemen. So, that made the cracks widen,” said Afaq Hussain, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. “When the war happens in 2026, Pakistan did not fully side with the Gulf states. Pakistan maintained a neutral position. They were engaging with Iran also. They were not completely against Iran. So, I think all this added up,” he added.
The withdrawal of the Emirati deposit, alongside Saudi and Qatari support for Pakistan at this critical time and amid the country’s difficult economic conditions, could be understood as a form of pressure or “arm-twisting,” al-Qubayban said.
He noted that Saudi support for Pakistan “cannot be interpreted as hostility toward or rivalry with the UAE, but rather falls within the framework of strategic cooperation with a sister country and a member of the Islamic world that has broad ties with Gulf states across various fields.”
Bokhari said “obviously, Pakistan is like caught up between the disagreements between the UAE and Saudi Arabia. And the Saudi and the UAE view, especially in the disagreement that propped up during the, in Yemen, has really led to sort of a divergence of interests between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh. Pakistan is allies with both.”
“Pakistan depends on both countries for, you know, financial assistance, and of course, you know, oil on concessionary rates. So when your two allies begin to feud, then you’re caught in the middle. And navigating it is a pretty big challenge,” he highlighted.
Economically, Pakistan relies heavily on Gulf states, particularly for oil and trade.
Another critical factor in Pakistan’s relationship with Gulf countries is expatriate communities. Large numbers of Pakistanis live in Gulf states, and the scale of remittances they send home—amounting to billions of dollars annually—is particularly significant.
Amid Pakistan’s economic difficulties, these remittances have become a key source of income. The Gulf provides job opportunities even for unskilled labor, unlike Europe or the United States, which tend to attract more highly skilled workers.
According to data from Pakistan’s central bank, official remittances reached about $3.8 billion in March 2026 alone. These funds go directly to families and are used to cover living expenses such as food, clothing and bills, helping drive economic activity.
Pakistan does not have a large economic base, but its importance stems from being the only Muslim-majority country with nuclear weapons, as well as its geographic position and complex ties with competing powers. It is among the few countries that maintain strategic relations with both the United States and China.
Domestically, Pakistan has a sizable Shiite minority estimated at about 20% of the population, a factor that requires consideration, particularly given sympathy for Iran within this group. Public sentiment in the country, even among the Sunni majority, also includes anti-U.S. and anti-Israel views, reinforcing a degree of sympathy toward Iran, though less pronounced than among Shiite communities.
Bokhari went on to say “I think the current leadership of Pakistan, both the military chief and the prime minister, they have actually navigated this well. I mean, I think they’ve managed it well. There hasn’t been any evidence that there’s a fallout.”
In addition to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan also has good relations with Turkey, which, along with Riyadh, is considered a key regional player.
Under the geopolitical strategy of U.S. President Donald Trump, which emphasizes burden-sharing, Washington relies on Saudi Arabia and Turkey to take on responsibility for security and stability in the Middle East, with a more limited U.S. role.
“What the Saudis did is brought the Pakistanis into the equation by their strategic mutual defense agreement that the two countries signed last September. And then the United States leaned on Pakistan to mediate the negotiations with the Iranians. So Pakistan is an emerging player in the Middle East,” Bokhari added.
It is increasingly clear that Pakistan’s ties with the Gulf are expanding to include a military dimension, rather than being limited to economic and political relations.
“Pakistan views Gulf stability as a cornerstone of its own stability, especially given the presence of millions of its citizens working in Gulf countries,” said Bahraini political analyst Ahmed al-Khuzai.
At the same time, Pakistani efforts to end the war continue. Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, who plays a key role in mediation, visited Tehran on Wednesday in an effort to prevent a renewed conflict, amid positive signals from the United States and Iran about returning to the negotiating table.
However, the possibility of renewed war remains if negotiations reach a deadlock, potentially placing Pakistan in a position of deeper involvement in the conflict.
Pakistani forces in Saudi Arabia are tasked with protecting infrastructure and vital facilities from Iranian missile and drone attacks.
“But it all depends. If this diplomatic process, God forbid, breaks down and we see a resumption of hostilities and the Iranians retaliate even fiercely, more fiercely against Saudi Arabia, there is the risk that Pakistan could find itself engaged in some kinetic action inside Saudi Arabia,” Bokhari stated.
“It is difficult to determine the nature of such involvement, but Islamabad will likely seek to maintain balance and exercise extreme caution to avoid being drawn into a direct confrontation with Iran,” al-Khuzai said.
The article is a translation of the original Arabic.
Ghassan Taqi
A journalist specializing in Iraqi affairs, he has worked with the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) since 2015. He previously spent several years with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, as well as various Iraqi and Arab media outlets.
Ringo Harrison
Ringo Harrison is a content coordinator based in Washington DC. He is a recent graduate from Lund University in Asian Studies. He previously worked at American Purpose.
Sakina Abdallah
A Saudi writer, researcher, and TV presenter
