Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi’s remarks at a weekly press briefing came after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea earlier in the day. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Pakistan on Thursday (July 23, 2026) vowed “swift” retaliation to any hostile act against vessels carrying its flag or maritime interests in the Red Sea, warning that such acts will be regarded as “grave threats” to its national security.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi’s remarks at a weekly press briefing came after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea earlier in the day. Mr. Andrabi said that any attack against Pakistani-flagged vessels or against its commercial vessels will be “treated as an attack against Pakistan and will be swiftly retaliated” against.
The hostile act will be regarded as a grave threat to its national security, he added, “We will do so in our exercise of self-defence.” Pakistan has so far avoided being drawn into the armed conflict despite a defence agreement with Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Andrabi “unequivocally” condemned the continued threat by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, saying this endangers regional security, freedom of navigation and global trade. He also reiterated that Pakistan is committed to implementing all bilateral agreements with Saudi Arabia, including agreements on mutual defence. Commenting on the situation in the Gulf region, he reiterated Pakistan’s call for all parties to exercise restraint, adding that Islamabad is continuing its diplomatic outreach in support of dialogue and diplomacy.
The Houthi rebels had earlier announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, saying they would block Saudi vessels in the Bab al-Mandab Strait in retaliation for what they described as Riyadh’s blockade of ports and airports in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
Separately, the Foreign Office spokesperson strongly rejected Amnesty International’s latest report about Pakistan’s strikes in Kabul. He claimed that it was unfortunate that such serious allegations were presented without any credible evidence.
The spokesperson also expressed disappointment over the EU report about Pakistan’s compliance under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), a status giving preferential treatment to Pakistan’s textile goods to the European markets. He said the EU report “understates the breadth of reforms undertaken since Pakistan joined GSP+ in 2014” and “places disproportionate emphasis on the lower-than-desired progress in a few areas”.
Published – July 24, 2026 11:53 am IST
