Pakistan’s engagement across the Middle East and North Africa is accelerating, as Islamabad moves to leverage its geopolitical position linking South Asia with the Middle East. This approach builds on Pakistan’s relatively balanced relations with a range of regional and international actors to strengthen its international presence and political weight.
This regional turn has granted Pakistani decision makers broader room for manoeuvre, opening opportunities to expand political and diplomatic influence without becoming directly entangled in the complex power balances of South Asia. This is particularly significant given rising tensions with India, Iran, and Afghanistan.
From neutrality to engagement. A shift in doctrine
For decades, Pakistan sought to present itself as a neutral actor in Middle Eastern equations. This posture was driven by concerns over protecting domestic security from regional spillover, safeguarding economic interests, and ensuring the safety of millions of Pakistani workers across Gulf states.
However, rapid regional and international changes suggest that this traditional approach is under review. Islamabad is increasingly seeking to enhance its global standing and deploy its military and diplomatic tools in a more integrated manner.
In recent weeks, this shift has been reflected in heightened activity by Pakistan’s military establishment under the leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir. This included a series of high-level meetings with Saudi leadership, retired Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar, King Abdullah II on two occasions, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and senior officials from the United Arab Emirates.
This activity signals a gradual transformation in Pakistan’s role, from a traditional security provider to an actor seeking to employ defence diplomacy to propose approaches and potential solutions to crises stretching from North Africa to de-escalation tracks between Iran and Gulf states, as well as mediation efforts in Yemen.
In parallel, Pakistan has emerged as a leading military partner for several Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, and Oman, with notable variation in the nature and depth of these partnerships.
While Islamabad and Riyadh are bound by a joint defence agreement, Bahrain and Oman rely heavily on Pakistani military personnel. Pakistan has also supported Iraq in efforts to confront the so-called Islamic State, while Turkey consistently affirms Pakistan’s status as a strategic ally.
Indicators of deeper regional involvement
A number of developments associated with Pakistan’s recent activity point to a significant shift in Islamabad’s political and military approach toward the Middle East, suggesting a partial redefinition of its regional doctrine on both security and diplomatic levels.
Arms deals
According to Reuters, Pakistan is nearing the conclusion of a major arms deal with Sudan valued at approximately 1.5 billion US dollars, following earlier reports of a separate four billion dollar agreement with the Libyan National Army.
These deals carry two principal dimensions.
On the military level, Pakistan aims to cement its position as a reliable arms supplier and security partner capable of acting as an alternative or complement to traditional major powers. This comes amid growing regional demand for armaments driven by escalating threats and instability.
On the political level, Islamabad is seeking to use these agreements to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia and with parties to the conflicts in Libya and Sudan. The objective is to present Pakistan as a trustworthy partner for Middle Eastern governments and authorities. This strategy also fits within broader efforts to counter India’s expanding influence in the region, particularly after New Delhi’s success in deepening its economic and security footprint in recent years, especially across the Gulf.
Building a regional alliance network
Pakistani Saudi relations are witnessing advanced discussions over a new arms agreement that would reinforce the recently signed joint defence treaty. This reflects the depth of the strategic and historical partnership between the two sides.
Within this framework, there are indications that Turkey could join these defence arrangements, potentially laying the groundwork for a trilateral security coordination axis linking Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey. Such a configuration would connect South Asia with the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean.
Some observers suggested that Islamabad’s deal with Khalifa Haftar could negatively affect Turkish Pakistani relations. However, sources close to decision making circles in Ankara indicated that the agreement was concluded with prior Turkish approval, in light of Turkey’s evolving engagement with Haftar.
These sources also pointed to a Pakistani role in arranging meetings between Haftar’s son and Turkish officials during recent visits to Islamabad.
In the same context, Pakistan stands out as one of Turkey’s most prominent military partners. This is evident in the support provided by Ankara and Baku during the confrontation between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Pakistan is also an official partner in the development of Turkey’s fifth generation fighter jet programme, underscoring the depth of defence and strategic cooperation between the two countries.
Mediation between Tehran and Washington
Pakistan’s attempts to play a mediating role between the United States and Iran represent another pillar of its broader regional strategy.
While these efforts have yet to yield tangible breakthroughs, given the complexities of relations between Tehran and Islamabad, they have received a measure of welcome from the American side. Washington views Pakistan, at least in theory, as an actor capable of engaging Iran without triggering excessive political sensitivities.
A role in Gaza
Pakistan has expressed readiness to participate in the proposed international mission to stabilise the Gaza Strip. This step carries political implications that extend beyond immediate humanitarian and security dimensions.
Such potential involvement allows Islamabad to advance several objectives, most notably strengthening its regional presence in one of the Middle East’s most sensitive and complex files. It also enhances Pakistan’s diplomatic standing with the United States, particularly at a time when Washington is reassessing its regional priorities and seeking partners able to contribute to crisis management without large scale direct military engagement.
Exceptional risk management
Pakistan is operating within a highly complex regional environment. It faces escalating security pressures along its borders, particularly on the western front with Afghanistan and the eastern front with India. This makes any additional external engagement highly sensitive and constrained by narrow margins for manoeuvre.
As such, Islamabad’s expansion beyond its immediate neighbourhood requires exceptional risk management capabilities and a balanced approach to a conflicting network of allies, avoiding the traps of polarisation or costly alignments.
Accordingly, the success of Pakistan’s growing role in the Middle East and North Africa remains contingent on the ability of decision makers to regulate this engagement, avoid entanglement in conflicts that do not serve Pakistan’s vital interests, and preserve the cohesion of its regional and international relationships. This must be achieved without disrupting internal balances or the sensitivities of its surrounding geopolitical environment.
