https://arab.news/rfg86
- Islamabad says attacks on Pakistani vessels could trigger self-defense measures
- Pakistan also warns against dragging Saudi Arabia into widening regional conflict
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday warned it could use force to protect its maritime interests if its vessels came under attack, while reaffirming its support for Saudi Arabia and condemning threats by Yemen’s Houthi movement against the Kingdom and commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
The unusually strong statement comes as the Iran-aligned Houthis threaten Saudi-linked shipping in the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, a narrow waterway linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, raising fears that the ongoing US-Iran conflict could spread beyond the Strait of Hormuz and disrupt yet another global energy corridors.
For Pakistan, which relies on the Red Sea route for Saudi oil imports after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, any disruption could threaten energy supplies and force the country to seek more expensive crude from distant suppliers.
“Pakistan reaffirms that any hostile act against Pakistani-flagged vessels or Pakistani maritime interests will be regarded as a grave threat to Pakistan’s national security and sovereign interests,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“Consistent with the Charter of the United Nations and international law, Pakistan reserves its right to take all necessary measures, including lawful use of force, in the exercise of self-defense to protect its maritime assets and national interests,” it added.
The ministry said Pakistan “unequivocally” condemned continued Houthi threats against Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, describing them as a threat to regional security, freedom of navigation, the rules-based maritime order and global commerce.
It also said threats against vessels engaged in lawful trade with Saudi Arabia were unacceptable and violated international law.
The Houthis announced this week a “maritime embargo” targeting Saudi-linked shipping in the Bab Al-Mandab Strait.
The threat has heightened concerns because Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on the Red Sea route to export crude after the Strait of Hormuz became inaccessible following the collapse of a ceasefire between Iran and the United States earlier this month.
“Pakistan is ... deeply concerned over attempts to drag the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia into the conflict in the Middle East and reiterates its unwavering support for the security, sovereignty, territorial integrity and prosperity of the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the foreign ministry said.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia strengthened their strategic partnership last September by signing a defense cooperation agreement under which an armed attack against either country is treated as an attack against both, deepening military coordination between the longstanding allies.
The foreign ministry also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to dialogue and regional de-escalation, while urging all parties to respect international law and ensure the safety and security of international maritime shipping.