Pakistan strongly condemns the Houthi attack on a commercial vessel in the Bab al-Mandab Strait
Islamabad, Aug 12 (KUNA) – Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday expressed his country’s strong condemnation of the Houthi militia attack on a commercial vessel in the Bab al-Mandab strait yesterday, which resulted in six deaths and ten injuries.
In a statement, Dar said, “I received with regret the news of the incident that targeted a commercial ship in the Red Sea,” clarifying that, according to available information, three Pakistani nationals were killed and another was injured in the attack. He added that “such attacks endanger innocent lives, constitute a violation of international law, and pose a serious threat to freedom of navigation, maritime security, and the safety of commercial shipping movements in the Red Sea.”
Dar confirmed that he has been in contact with the relevant Saudi authorities as well as the internationally recognized Yemeni government to obtain further details about the incident and the circumstances surrounding it. He stated that he had directed Pakistan’s embassy in Riyadh to immediately coordinate with the relevant authorities and follow up on all necessary measures to repatriate the bodies of the deceased Pakistani nationals and to provide all possible assistance to the injured Pakistani citizen.
For its part, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to playing its role within the framework of the recently announced “Multinational Maritime Alliance.” In this regard, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, during a weekly press briefing, said, “Pakistan is among the signatories to the statement of this maritime alliance, and we will implement it with full seriousness,” adding that his country is holding consultations with Saudi authorities on the matter.
It is worth noting that the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance is an open international defense initiative led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, announced on July 30 in the capital Riyadh, and comprises 14 countries. (End) S.B.K./A.M.S.
