Security and diplomatic sources have revealed that Pakistan has suspended a $1.5 billion contract to supply fighter jets and various military equipment to the Sudanese Armed Forces. This decision follows a formal request from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan’s close ally and economic benefactor, which stated it would no longer provide the financial backing necessary for the deal and urged for the agreement to be terminated.
According to Reuters, Pakistan was in the final stages of a deal to provide Sudan with “JF-17 Thunder” fighter jets and other weapon systems. While the agreement was initially brokered by Saudi Arabia, it was not publicly disclosed at the time that Riyadh would be financing the purchase.
However, new information indicates that Saudi Arabia has not only withdrawn its role as a financial guarantor but has also pressured Pakistan to scrap the transaction entirely. An anonymous security source stated, “Saudi Arabia signaled that Pakistan should terminate the deal after it dropped the idea of financing it.” This shift reportedly followed a March meeting in Riyadh between Sudanese military leaders and Saudi authorities.
The suspension of this arms sale is directly linked to the devastating civil war that has been raging in Sudan for nearly three years. The conflict between the regular Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are said to hold opposing stances on the Sudanese issue; while Saudi Arabia leans toward supporting the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), the UAE has been accused of providing logistical support to the RSF.
Reports suggest that Western nations advised Saudi Arabia to avoid getting entangled in proxy wars in Africa, a pressure that likely influenced Riyadh to revise its strategy and halt the weapons shipment through Pakistan.
Pakistan felt compelled to honor Saudi Arabia’s wishes due to the deep military and economic ties between the two nations. Saudi Arabia provides critical loans and financial assistance to Pakistan’s struggling economy.
Furthermore, the two countries signed a mutual defense pact last year, treating an attack on one as an attack on both. This shift in Saudi strategy is not limited to Sudan; reports indicate that a $4 billion arms deal Pakistan was negotiating with the Libyan National Army (LNA) is also in jeopardy, signaling a broader re-evaluation of Riyadh’s involvement in regional conflicts.
