The tripartite Saudi-Pakistan-Turkey defence pact follows the Saudi-Pakistan defence pact. The latter came as a surprise, even though Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have had known security links. Pakistani troop contingents have reputedly provided security protection to the Saudi monarchy. The former Pakistani Army Chief, Raheel Sharif, is heading the grouping, which again points to security-related understandings between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. It is also believed that the Saudis had played a role in financing Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme.
Other than this, the Pakistani economy is in shambles. The Saudi economy, despite the country’s oil earnings, is under budgetary strain. Any calculation that Turkey and Pakistan, in particular, can milk Saudi Arabia for funds and find a lucrative arms market in the kingdom may prove mistaken.
The Turkish economy is in a bad shape with 32% inflation.
