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Pakistan has put on hold a $1.5 billion deal to supply weapons and jets to Sudan after Saudi Arabia asked for the agreement to be terminated and said it would not finance the purchase, according to two Pakistani security sources and a diplomatic source, Reuters reported.
The suspended deal had been in its final stages, Reuters reported earlier this year, and was among several defense sales pursued by Pakistan's military after its jets and weapons systems drew increased attention following skirmishes with India in May last year.
One Pakistani security source said Saudi Arabia signaled that Pakistan should terminate the agreement after dropping the idea of financing it.
According to the same source, some Western countries had advised Riyadh to stay away from proxy wars in Africa.
A diplomatic source and two Pakistani security sources said Saudi Arabia's decision effectively placed the Sudan weapons sale on hold.
Reuters first reported in January that the deal was in the final stages and had been brokered by Saudi Arabia, though financing from Riyadh had not been disclosed at the time.
The agreement involved the sale of weapons and jets to Sudan and was part of broader defense export negotiations led by Pakistan's military.
The conflict between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has fueled what the report described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis for around three years.
The war has also become a flashpoint for competing foreign interests and raised fears of the breakup of the Red Sea country, which is also a major gold producer.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have backed opposing sides in conflict-affected countries across the region, including in Sudan.
While both say they support a diplomatic resolution to the Sudan conflict, Saudi Arabia has backed Sudan's army, while the UAE has been accused of providing logistical support to the RSF, an allegation it officially denies.
One source said a meeting in March between Sudanese army leaders and Saudi authorities in Riyadh resulted in the termination of Saudi financing for the deal.
That step, the source said, led to the suspension of the planned sale.
Saudi Arabia's government media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sudan's armed forces also did not immediately respond.
Pakistan's military did not respond to a Reuters request for comment, and neither the military nor the air force had previously confirmed that such a deal was under discussion.
A second Pakistani security source said another reported defense agreement, a $4 billion deal with the Libyan National Army first reported by Reuters in December, was also in jeopardy.
The source said the Saudis are "revisiting their strategy" in both Sudan and Libya.
Saudi Arabia is one of Pakistan's closest allies and has long provided critical loans and financing for Pakistan's struggling economy.
The relationship deepened further after the two countries signed a mutual defense pact last year that treats aggression against one as an attack on both.
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