ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued one of its strongest statements in years on the Red Sea crisis on Wednesday, unequivocally condemning continued threats by Yemen’s Houthi movement against Saudi Arabia and warning that any hostile act against Pakistani-flagged vessels or maritime interests would be treated as a grave threat to national security.
The statement comes amid a rapidly deteriorating security situation in the Red Sea. The Iran-aligned Houthis announced this week that they are imposing a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, in what they described as retaliation for a blockade on Yemen and a recent attack on Sanaa International Airport.
The declaration marked the most significant confrontation in years between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition, and followed a period of renewed missile and drone strikes that had resumed earlier in the month after a relative lull.
Analysts have noted the stakes for global energy markets: Saudi Arabia’s ability to route oil exports through the Red Sea has served as a critical alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, and the vulnerability of this route has been exposed by the renewed Houthi threats.
Shipping companies and insurers have already begun reassessing risk exposure for vessels transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow chokepoint through which a significant share of global trade normally passes.
Pakistan’s Position
In its press release, the Foreign Ministry stated that threats against commercial shipping and trade with Saudi Arabia “violate established principles of international law,” and expressed particular concern over reports of threats directed at vessels engaged in lawful commercial trade with the Kingdom.
Notably, Islamabad went further than a routine diplomatic condemnation, explicitly invoking its right to self-defence.
The statement said Pakistan “reserves its right to take all necessary measures, including lawful use of force,” should Pakistani-flagged vessels or maritime assets come under attack — language that signals a readiness to respond militarily if Pakistani interests are directly targeted, rather than confining itself to verbal denunciation alone.
The ministry also voiced concern over attempts to “drag the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia into the conflict in the Middle East,” reaffirming what it called Pakistan’s “unwavering support” for Saudi sovereignty, security and territorial integrity — a relationship long anchored in defence cooperation, labour migration, and financial assistance between the two countries.
Despite the firm tone, the statement closed on a call for restraint, urging all parties to pursue dialogue, diplomacy and regional de-escalation while respecting international law and the safety of maritime shipping.
It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan maintains a large maritime workforce and merchant fleet with routine transit through the Red Sea corridor, and hundreds of thousands of Pakistani expatriates live and work in Saudi Arabia — giving Islamabad a direct stake in the safety of these shipping lanes beyond diplomatic solidarity alone.
The explicit reference to “lawful use of force” is a notable departure from Pakistan’s typically measured language on Middle Eastern conflicts, reflecting the perceived severity of the current escalation and Islamabad’s close strategic and defence ties with Riyadh.
