Khartoum, April 21 (Darfur24)
Pakistan has halted a $1.5 billion arms and aircraft deal with Sudan after Saudi Arabia requested its cancellation and withdrew financial backing, according to diplomatic and security sources.
Reuters reported in January that the deal was in its final stages and had been brokered by Riyadh, though Saudi funding was not publicly disclosed at the time.
According to Reuters, one security source said, “Saudi Arabia has hinted that Pakistan must terminate the deal after abandoning the idea of financing it,” adding that some Western countries had advised Riyadh to distance itself from proxy conflicts in Africa.
The source added that a meeting held in March between Sudanese military leaders and Saudi officials in Riyadh led to the decision to halt funding for the deal.
The agreement was part of a broader push by Pakistan’s military to expand arms exports, following increased attention on its defence systems after clashes with India in May last year.
A second security source said another agreement, valued at $4 billion with the Libyan National Army, is also at risk, noting that Saudi Arabia is “reconsidering its strategy” in both Sudan and Libya.