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Journalist and political commentator Kemal Ozturk said in a social media post that Pakistan has signed a defense agreement with Qatar following a similar deal with Saudi Arabia, adding that military units will be stationed at bases in Qatar and that nuclear-armed Pakistan is increasing its military presence in the region.
Ozturk said Türkiye, which has a military base in Qatar, played a facilitating role in the agreement and that the issue was discussed among the three countries' leaders at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
Separately, high-level talks between Qatar and Pakistan have entered an advanced phase, with officials describing negotiations as moving rapidly toward a comprehensive strategic defense agreement.
The proposed accord is expected to include joint military exercises, expanded training programs, defense production cooperation, intelligence sharing, cybersecurity collaboration and drone technology exchanges.
Recent momentum in the talks followed meetings in Doha involving senior officials, including outreach during Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari's November 2025 visit, where expanded defense and co-production ties were discussed.
The move follows the Saudi Arabia-Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement signed in September 2025, which established a precedent for formalized defense ties between Pakistan and Gulf countries.
Qatar is now pursuing a similar framework as Gulf states diversify security partnerships beyond traditional Western guarantees and reassess regional defense structures.
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The developing partnership reflects broader regional dynamics, including efforts to strengthen deterrence, expand military interoperability and enhance intelligence cooperation.
According to Ozturk, the idea of establishing a wider defense, security and political pact among Islamic countries is gaining strength.
If finalized, the agreement could further deepen Gulf-South Asia defense integration, involving Qatar, Saudi Arabia and potentially Türkiye, while expanding Pakistan's role as a regional security partner.
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