Islamabad/Riyadh – September 18, 2025 — In a development shaking both South Asia and the Middle East, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a landmark Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) in Riyadh, pledging that an attack on either nation will be treated as an attack on both. The pact, sealed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace, comes just days after Israel’s unprecedented strike on Qatar, raising alarms across the Muslim world.
But behind the formal handshakes and military salutes, analysts and believers alike are asking a far deeper question: Is this pact merely about defence, or is it part of a larger struggle against global powers — and perhaps even a sign tied to the awaited return of Imam Mehdi?
A Historic Pact With Hidden Depths
For decades, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have shared a defence partnership rooted in faith, oil, and military cooperation. Pakistani troops have trained thousands of Saudi personnel, while Saudi royals have long bankrolled Pakistan in times of crisis. With this new pact, the cooperation has been elevated to a binding commitment, making Pakistan effectively the guardian of the Kingdom’s security.
Yet the timing of this agreement — immediately after Israel’s bold strikes in Doha — cannot be ignored. Analysts suggest that Saudi Arabia is no longer betting its survival on Washington but instead turning to Islamabad, a nuclear-armed Muslim power, for protection.
The bigger controversy? Many now believe that the pact is as much about shielding Riyadh from Tel Aviv as it is about preparing for a larger confrontation in which religious prophecy and geopolitical rivalry are becoming inseparable.
Israel, Qatar, and the Shadow of a Larger War
Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar was more than a military operation — it was a symbolic act that shook the Gulf states’ confidence. If Qatar, one of the richest nations in the world, can be attacked without consequence, what does it mean for Saudi Arabia, the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques?
For some, this attack confirmed the fears long whispered in Muslim circles: that Israel is testing the boundaries of its power and influence across the region. And with Pakistan now formally tied to Saudi defence, any future aggression may no longer be a bilateral issue but one that draws in the Islamic world’s only nuclear power.
Imam Mehdi or Geopolitical Strategy?
Among scholars, preachers, and ordinary believers, there’s growing speculation: could this defence pact also be a sign of end-times prophecy? In Islamic eschatology, Imam Mehdi is foretold to rise during a period of global chaos, when injustice and oppression dominate.
The deal has therefore sparked debates — not only about deterrence against Israel or India but also about whether Muslim nations are unknowingly being positioned for a larger divine confrontation. Some argue that this is less about modern defence policy and more about fulfilling an inevitable prophecy where alliances among Muslim nations will take shape before the final battles of truth and falsehood.
India’s Unease and Iran’s Silence
India has already voiced concerns over the pact, worried that Pakistan’s new security umbrella might embolden Islamabad in South Asia. New Delhi noted that it will “study the implications,” though many analysts see this as an understatement — especially since Pakistan only recently fought a short but heated conflict with India in May 2025.
Iran, meanwhile, has kept notably silent. For years, Tehran has viewed Saudi Arabia as a rival and Pakistan as a potential swing state. With this deal, Iran faces a strategic dilemma: does it confront a united Pak-Saudi front or wait to see how deeply this pact drags both nations into conflicts not only with Israel but possibly with the United States?
Nuclear Questions and the Saudi Umbrella
As Pakistan is the world’s only Muslim-majority nuclear power, speculation has mounted over whether this agreement provides Saudi Arabia with a de facto nuclear umbrella. Neither government has acknowledged such a guarantee, but for Israel — and perhaps even Washington — the implications are clear: Riyadh now has closer access to nuclear deterrence than ever before.
This, in turn, raises the controversial idea: is Pakistan now becoming the shield of the Muslim world, not just against earthly enemies like India or Israel, but in preparation for a far greater battle tied to prophecy itself?
A Changing Global Order
International relations experts agree that this pact signals a major shift in the balance of power. The Gulf can no longer count on U.S. reliability. Pakistan has positioned itself as the military pillar of the Islamic world. And with Saudi Arabia leading the pact, other nations — from the UAE to Qatar — may soon follow.
But the undercurrent remains controversial. To some, the defence pact is not just an act of statecraft but a warning shot to global elites: the Muslim world is preparing, whether for the geopolitical storm brewing with Israel or for the foretold arrival of Imam Mehdi, who, believers say, will unite Muslims against injustice.
Conclusion: Between Tel Aviv and the Prophecy
The Pakistan–Saudi Arabia Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement is being hailed as historic. For Pakistan, it is recognition of its role as the Islamic world’s strongest military power. For Saudi Arabia, it is insurance against encirclement by Israel and its allies.
Yet beneath the surface, this pact has ignited a debate that goes beyond politics. Some see it as a practical move against real-world enemies, while others interpret it as a sign of the unfolding great game of prophecy, in which alliances are being forged not just for worldly defence but for battles foretold in scripture.The unanswered question lingers: Does Saudi Arabia need saving from Israel’s growing aggression — or is it preparing, knowingly or unknowingly, for the long-awaited return of Imam Mehdi?
