Islamabad: Pakistan has reaffirmed that any hostile act against Pakistani flagged vessels or Pakistan's maritime interests in the Red Sea will be regarded as a grave threat to its national security. At his weekly news briefing in Islamabad today, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir 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.
According to Radio Pakistan, Tahir Andrabi stated that any attack against Pakistani flagged or commercial vessels will be treated as an attack against Pakistan and will be swiftly retaliated. He emphasized that Pakistan will exercise its right to self-defence in such scenarios. Commenting on the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf Region, Andrabi reiterated Pakistan's call on all parties to exercise restraint. He highlighted Pakistan's ongoing diplomatic efforts to support dialogue and diplomacy in resolving regional conflicts.
Tahir Andrabi also affirmed Pakistan's commitment to implementing all bilateral agreements with Saudi Arabia, including mutual defence agreements. In response to Amnesty International's recent report on Pakistan's strikes in Kabul, Andrabi strongly rejected the allegations, calling them unfounded and lacking credible evidence. He accused the Taliban regime of maintaining a permissive environment for terrorist organizations, such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Balochistan Liberation Army. Andrabi stressed that any military strikes by Pakistan were conducted in self-defence and targeted exclusively against terrorists and their logistical bases in Afghanistan. He urged Amnesty International and the international community to scrutinize the Taliban regime's support of terrorist groups.
Regarding the European Union's fifth GSP report, Andrabi remarked that the assessment serves as the final monitoring report under the current GSP Plus framework, evaluating Pakistan's compliance with twenty-seven international conventions. He acknowledged the report's recognition of Pakistan's legislative progress and ongoing adherence to international conventions. Andrabi emphasized that the GSP Plus status is crucial to Pakistan's economic relationship with the European Union, playing a pivotal role in supporting exports, employment, women's economic participation, poverty reduction, and broader economic development. He reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to the effective implementation of international conventions that underpin the GSP framework.