Early-stage talks with Kuwait would expand Pakistan’s defense role to include thousands of troops, fighter jets, drones and air defenses, according to Reuters-cited Pakistani officials.
The push comes as the U.S.-Iran framework has collapsed, Iranian strikes have hit Gulf infrastructure, and renewed Saudi-Houthi fighting has widened the regional war Pakistan had tried to mediate.
Islamabad is still resisting a direct combat role: one Pakistani security official said it “cannot consider a deployment of combat troops at this stage,” reflecting fears that overlapping Gulf commitments could force Pakistan to take sides.
Domestic and financial pressures sharpen that caution. Sectarian unrest has flared at home, while Gulf anger already carried a price when the UAE recalled a $3.5 billion loan before Saudi Arabia stepped in with $3 billion.
With Hormuz closed again and Red Sea shipping under threat, Pakistan’s fuel-dependent economy faces renewed inflation and conservation measures, giving it more reason to keep pushing diplomacy even as defense ties deepen.
With regional conflicts threatening global energy, can Islamabad's high-stakes diplomacy truly prevent its fragile economy from collapsing under a Hormuz blockade?
As Pakistan leverages the Middle East crisis for economic bailouts, will its military support for Saudi Arabia ultimately provoke Iranian retaliation?
How long can Pakistan maintain its illusion of neutrality while simultaneously signing defense pacts with Washington and deploying jets to Saudi bases?