Two Pakistani vessels were forced to turn back after entering the strategic Strait of Hormuz, raising fresh concerns amid ongoing regional tensions and energy supply challenges.
According to local media reports, the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation vessels, Shalamar and Khairpur, had departed on the night of April 10 for Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
However, after reaching the Strait of Hormuz, both ships were suddenly prevented from proceeding further due to unavoidable reasons.
Following instructions, the captains, Asif and Shaheen, redirected the vessels toward the Gulf of Oman. The ships were originally scheduled to load millions of liters of crude oil from Kuwait and the UAE, but sources now indicate they may instead head toward Fujairah or Yanbu as alternative destinations.
The development comes despite a recent arrangement under which Iran had agreed to allow 20 Pakistani-flagged vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz to ease Pakistan’s ongoing energy crisis, with two ships permitted daily transit.
Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that the United States failed to build trust during recent talks.
In a post on X, he said Iran had shown willingness for constructive engagement but remained cautious due to past conflicts, adding that the latest round of negotiations did not succeed in gaining the confidence of the Iranian side.
