Pakistan has put a $1.5 billion deal to supply weapons and jets to Sudan on hold Saudi Arabia requested its cancellation and declined to fund the deal, according to security and diplomatic sources.
According to reports, a deal was in the final stages in January and had been brokered by Saudi Arabia, but no financing from Riyadh was disclosed at the time. The deal was among several defence sales being negotiated by the Pakistani military after its jets and weapons systems gained prominence following skirmishes with India in May last year.
Saudi’s Role and Strategic Pressure
Saudi Arabia is one of Pakistan’s closest allies and has been a source of critical loans and financing for Islamabad’s ailing economy. Their relationship has deepened since the signing last year of a mutual defence pact treating aggression against either as an attack on both.
“Saudi Arabia has signaled that Pakistan should terminate the deal after it dropped the idea of financing it,” one of the security sources said.
The source added that some Western countries had advised Riyadh to stay away from proxy wars in Africa.
Regional Conflict
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have backed opposing sides in conflict-ridden countries across the region, including in Sudan.
While both sides say they back a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, Saudi Arabia has put its weight behind Sudan’s army, while the UAE has been accused of providing logistical support to the RSF, a charge it officially denies.
The source said a March meeting between Sudan army leaders and Saudi authorities in Riyadh resulted in the termination of Saudi financing for the deal.
Another $4 billion deal with the Libyan National Army, reported by Reuters in December, was also in jeopardy because the Saudis are “revisiting their strategy” in both countries, the second security source said.
(With inputs from Reuters)
