Monitoring Desk: Pakistan’s navy is escorting merchant vessels along its own maritime routes and not on the Strait of Hormuz, a security official with direct knowledge of the operation confirmed on Wednesday, amid a global energy crisis triggered by the key passageway’s closure, reports Arab News.
The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow mouth of the Arabian Gulf through which about a fifth of the world’s oil passes. The US-Israeli war against Iran has halted tanker traffic on the key route. Iran has attacked several ships in the Strait of Hormuz and threatened any ships that try to pass through it.
A Pakistani security official stressed that the navy’s Operation Muhafiz-ul-Bahr is focused only on Pakistan’s own sea lines of communication, particularly the routes linking Karachi with the Gulf region and the Red Sea.
“Pakistan Navy is conducting escort operations for Pakistani vessels operating along the Karachi–Gulf and Karachi–Red Sea Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs),” the official told Arab News on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.
“These operations should not be misconstrued as escorting ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.”
The official said that the operation is intended to protect Pakistan’s commercial shipping and energy supplies while maintaining safe passage on critical maritime routes linking the country to global markets.
In view of the evolving regional maritime security environment and potential disruptions to critical sea lanes, Pakistan Navy has launched Operation Muhafiz-ul-Bahr to counter multidimensional threats to national shipping and maritime trade. The initiative has been undertaken to ensure the uninterrupted flow of national energy supplies and the security of Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs).
PN Escort operations are being conducted in close coordination with Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC). Pakistan Navy is fully cognizant of the prevailing maritime situation and is actively monitoring and controlling the movement of merchant vessels to ensure their safe and secure transit.
With approximately 90% of Pakistan’s trade conducted via sea, the operation aims to ensure that vital sea routes remain safe, secure, and uninterrupted. Currently, PN ships are escorting 2 x Merchant Vessels, one of which is scheduled to arrive Karachi today.
Pakistan Navy remains fully prepared to respond emerging maritime security challenges and is committed to ensuring the safety of national shipping and regional maritime security.
