AT a time when Muslims worldwide confront growing political, economic and security challenges, unity rather than division is need of the hour.
Recent Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh offers a timely example of how Muslim nations can move beyond past frictions and construct frameworks of cooperation that strengthen collective security. Far from being symbolic, this pact carries deeper meaning for the future of Muslim solidarity.
The Pakistan–Saudi Arabia agreement showcases how Muslim nations can overcome historical suspicions and mistrust to build new frameworks of trust and cooperation. For too long, rivalries within Muslim world have provided opportunities for external actors to exploit divisions. This pact sends opposite signal: that safeguarding Ummah requires solidarity, not fragmentation. It demonstrates maturity in statecraft, with both states choosing institutionalized defence collaboration and alignment on shared threats.
Importantly, Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement is defensive in nature. It is not directed against any specific country. Instead, it reflects responsible conduct where two Muslim states emphasize adherence to international law, peaceful coexistence and right of self-defence. In a world where narratives of conflict often overshadow voices of peace, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have chosen to highlight responsible statecraft and mutual respect.
This pact also sends powerful message across Muslim world: internal rivalries and policies that fuel conflict only weaken Muslim countries and erode their collective dignity. True strength lies in cooperation and mutual respect. By building mechanisms of joint security, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are signaling that Muslim nations can secure their interests without undermining others.
Afghanistan, as close Muslim brother country, has clear lessons to draw from this model. Stability in Kabul is essential not only for Afghan people but also for regional Muslim solidarity. Yet policies that allow Afghan soil to be used for destabilizing activities harm fellow Muslims and create mistrust. Instability on Afghan soil undermines its own progress while damaging broader cause of Muslim unity. Rather than pursuing divisive actions, Afghan leadership must choose path of constructive engagement with neighbours.
Spirit of Pakistan–Saudi pact shows that real strength is not found in military adventurism or intra-Muslim conflict, but in institutionalized cooperation that builds trust, prevents misunderstandings and aligns resources toward shared threats. Afghanistan has opportunity to follow this path by ensuring its territory is not (mis-)used and by forging positive relations with regional partners. Such engagement would not only enhance Afghanistan’s own stability but also contribute to shared security of wider Ummah.
In today’s interconnected world, challenges like terrorism, extremism, external interference and economic instability require collective solutions. No single Muslim State, however powerful, can face them alone. Only through unity, coordination and mutual respect can Muslim world safeguard its dignity and ensure prosperity of its people. The Pakistan–Saudi Arabia Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement is reminder that when Muslim states rise above narrow rivalries and embrace solidarity, they create stronger foundation for future generations. The lesson is clear: unity, not division, is real source of strength for Ummah.
—The writer is regular contributor.
