Saudi-Pakistan sign defense pact amid shifting Middle East power dynamics

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan two long-time allies with deep military ties, have signed a sweeping mutual defense pact, cementing decades of cooperation at a time of growing uncertainty in the Gulf.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in Doha today (Monday) to attend an emergency Arab-Islamic summit, called in response to Israel’s recent strikes on Qatar that have sent shockwaves across the Middle East. 

Amnesty International has just dropped a chilling report—and it paints a troubling picture of how far Pakistan’s surveillance state has expanded. 

China’s top diplomat Foreign Minister Wang Yi will arrive in Islamabad on Wednesday for a three-day visit aimed at deepening political, security, and economic cooperation with Pakistan, according to an official announcement released Tuesday.

Pakistan has unveiled a new specialized military branch — the Army Rocket Force — tasked with managing and deploying missile systems during conventional warfare. 

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is set to arrive in Dhaka on 23 August, marking another significant step in the steady revival of relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh after decades of diplomatic coolness.

The United States has officially listed Pakistan’s Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its militant arm, the Majeed Brigade, as terrorist organizations, citing a series of deadly attacks that have targeted civilians, security forces, and strategic infrastructure in recent years.

Pakistan has officially brought the Chinese-built Z-10ME attack helicopter into service, marking a significant boost to the country’s combat aviation capabilities. 

Pakistan’s devastating monsoon rains have claimed at least 299 lives, including 140 children, since the start of the season in late June, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). 

Just after midnight on May 7, the screen in the Pakistan Air Force`s operations room lit up in red with the positions of dozens of active enemy planes across the border in India.

At least 180 people have lost their lives and more than 500 have been injured across Pakistan since early July as the country experiences one of its most intense monsoon seasons, according to data released by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). 

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has added Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, to its Most Wanted list, citing his alleged role in the 2007 disappearance of retired FBI agent Robert A. “Bob” Levinson. Levinson vanished under mysterious circumstances after traveling to Kish Island, Iran, in what was later revealed to be a mission linked to US intelligence.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated that the country`s nuclear program is strictly dedicated to "peaceful purposes and self-defense." 

Pakistan`s military chief General Asim Munir slammed "insinuations" regarding "external support" during the recent conflict with India, after an Indian general said the country had more than more than one adversary in the fighting.

Torrential rains and flash floods have claimed at least 32 lives across Pakistan over the past two days, affecting multiple provinces and causing widespread destruction, according to rescue teams and disaster management authorities.

More than 200,000 Afghan nationals have left Pakistan since the government intensified its deportation campaign in April, according to Pakistan`s Ministry of Interior.