Is Pakistan the Middle East’s New Security Provider?

Minna Jaffery-Lindemulder

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Pakistan is emerging as a new security guarantor in the Middle East, filling the security vacuum left behind by the Trump administration.

Israel’s attacks on Doha on September 9 signalled a change in the Israel-Gaza war–even US partners were not safe from Israel’s growing agenda. While the United States faced issues of credibility in the region, Pakistan was negotiating a new regional security guarantee with Saudi Arabia to ensure that there are other actors involved in defending the security of the Gulf States.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long held close ties with one another, but have not agreed to a formal security defense pact until now. Pakistan has a long history of sending its troops to Saudi Arabia for training and combat, most notably in 1979 during the siege of Mecca. Islamabad has experience in extending its troops beyond its borders, making it a pragmatic choice for this kind of regional role.

Of course, an agreement of this magnitude could not have occurred without tacit approval from the Trump administration. With its America-First agenda, the United States’ current posture has demonstrated its lack of interest in remaining a regional watchdog, particularly given its strong support of Israel’s expansionary project.

Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff and Field Marshal Asim Munir were invited to the White House to celebrate their cooperation with the United States, signalling a warmer relationship than what has existed before. For Pakistan, this turn of events puts Islamabad in a position it has long wanted: an involved partner in the Muslim world, a military power that rivals India, and a recipient of American goodwill and weapons, via Saudi Arabia.

Additionally, Pakistan and the United States are expanding their partnership in mining critical minerals. Pakistan shipped its first batch of enriched rare earth minerals to the United States on October 2, the start of a longer-term memorandum of understanding with trade valued at $500 million. Islamabad is also hoping that Washington will invest in a new port at Pansi in the Gwadar district, which would give the United States easier access to the critical minerals needed for it to remain competitive in the semiconductor industry.