Pakistan's Diplomatic Credibility in Question After Failing to Support Saudi Arabia

Riyadh: With missiles blaring in the desert region of the Middle East, Pakistan has fallen into a diplomatic trap from which it now finds it difficult to escape. Pakistan has always claimed to maintain a'balance'in the age-old conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran, but the current situation has opened its poles. According to that strategic agreement signed on 17 September 2025, Pakistan was to treat any attack on Saudi Arabia as its own attack. However, when Iran fired ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia, Pakistan advised only'restraint'instead of military assistance as promised. This incident has raised big questions about Pakistan's credibility in Riyadh's power corridors. Today's visit to Riyadh by Shahbaz Sharif is no ordinary diplomatic trip, but a very important attempt to remove Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's displeasure. Pakistan is now economically dependent on Saudi Arabia's billions of dollars of investment and loans, while its proximity to Iran's second geopolitical conflict has led Pakistan to declare Ali a'martyr'if he were to attempt to stop the Saudi leader.