Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Saudi Arabia was said to have asked Pakistan for tens of thousands of troops to protect the Gulf Cooperation Council kingdom.

Two Pakistani dailies reported that Riyad requested the deployment of two Pakistan Army divisions, or 30,000 troops, to protect the Arab kingdom.

In early February, the newspapers, Roznama Naya Akhbar and Roznama Ummat,
said the Saudi request was part of a defense agreement drafted by Riyad and
Islamabad.

“The daily Roznama Ummat stated that the two Pakistani divisions will train Saudi troops,” the Washington-based Middle East Media and Research Institute said.

Neither Pakistan nor Saudi Arabia have confirmed the reports. Over the last two months, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia held strategic cooperation meetings, including visits by Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal and Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Salman Bin Sultan.

Roznama Naya, published in Urdu, said Pakistani Chief of Staff Gen.
Raheel Sharif was in Saudi Arabia to promote the defense cooperation accord.

The newspaper said Islamabad also sought to sell the JF-17 fighter-jet and
Al Khalid main battle tanks to the Arab kingdom, concerned over the threat
from Iran.

“It mentioned that Pakistani troops have been deployed in Saudi Arabia
in the past, but later the Americans began training the Saudi forces
instead, which led to cultural conflicts,” MEMRI, which monitors the Arab
and Islamist media, said on Feb. 10. “The [Roznama Naya] daily speculated
that Saudi Arabia may be interested not only in Pakistan’s military
assistance, but also in playing a role in the talks with the Taliban.”

  000 Pakistani troops, Gen. Raheel Sharif, Reports: Saudis ask Pakistan for two divisions to secure the kingdom, Salman Bin Sultan, Saud Al Faisal, train its troops