Islamabad, September 19, 2026: Pakistan has called on Yemen’s Houthi movement to immediately cease attacks on merchant ships and seafarers in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, stressing the need to protect freedom of navigation and the safety of commercial shipping.
Speaking at a United Nations Security Council Arria Formula meeting on maritime security, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, strongly condemned attacks on merchant vessels in the strategic waterway.
Ambassador Ahmad said attacks on merchant vessels in the Bab al-Mandab and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz demonstrated that maritime crises could have far-reaching consequences for global peace and stability, as well as energy and food security.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the nefarious designs of Houthi militia to weaponise Bab al-Mandab by launching attacks on merchant shipping and innocent seafarers navigating the strait,” he said.
He reiterated Pakistan’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia, saying Houthi attacks seriously undermined maritime security and threatened peace and development in countries across the region, particularly Saudi Arabia.
The ambassador warned that the continued attacks could have serious consequences for maritime security and regional peace and stability.
Addressing the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, Ambassador Ahmad said Pakistan was deeply concerned over disruptions and attacks affecting commercial shipping.
He called for an immediate de-escalation of tensions, the protection of ships and crew members, and the restoration of normal passage through the strait.
He described Hormuz as a critical maritime trade route, noting that disruptions there could have significant implications for global energy and fertiliser supplies.
The envoy said Pakistan, as a littoral state of the Indian Ocean and a party to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, attached paramount importance to maritime safety and security.
“It is our principled position that global shipping should not become a casualty of conflict and strife. Instead, it should remain a driver of global trade and economy,” he said.
Recent fighting in Yemen has brought the Houthis closer to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, with the group capturing key locations along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and the strategically important Perim Island. The developments have heightened concerns over the security of one of the world’s major maritime chokepoints.
Ambassador Ahmad also highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts following the outbreak of hostilities between Iran and the United States on February 28, saying Islamabad had worked for de-escalation and broader regional stability, culminating in a ceasefire and the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to diplomatic engagement and said Islamabad would continue working for a negotiated settlement of outstanding issues and an early return to normalcy both at sea and on land.
Pakistan would also continue coordinating with countries in the region and beyond to promote maritime peace and security and ensure the safety of commercial shipping and merchant vessels, he added.
