Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar issued Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the Houthi attack on a commercial vessel in the Red Sea, according to the Arab Times report from Islamabad. Dar stated that the strike endangered innocent lives and threatened freedom of navigation while describing it as a violation of international law and a serious threat to maritime security. The foreign minister confirmed that Pakistani authorities had established contact with Saudi officials and Yemen’s internationally recognized government to obtain further details about the incident that occurred on August 11.
The assault targeted a food-supply vessel in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Yemeni transport ministry officials told Reuters. It resulted in six deaths including three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian crew member with ten others wounded among them another Pakistani, according to the ministry’s account that placed the total at four crew killed initially with additional rescuers also perishing. Dar directed the Pakistani Embassy in Riyadh to coordinate the retrieval and repatriation of the deceased nationals’ remains while providing all possible assistance to the injured citizen.
«We are closely following the situation and will continue to remain in close contact with the relevant authorities,» Dar said. The statement reflected ongoing diplomatic engagement following the attack for which the Houthis have not claimed responsibility, as maritime security sources noted in reports to Reuters. Pakistan maintains a significant expatriate workforce in maritime and related sectors across the Gulf and beyond where such incidents pose direct risks to its citizens.
This attack forms part of the broader Red Sea crisis in which the Houthis have targeted vessels since late 2023. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project figures show the group attacked 178 vessels throughout their two-year blockade sinking four ships and killing nine sailors prior to the latest casualties. Renewed Houthi campaigns have disrupted global shipping routes prompting rerouting around Africa and elevating insurance costs substantially according to industry assessments.
Yemen’s internationally recognized government provided initial casualty breakdowns that confirmed the three Pakistani deaths alongside the Indonesian sailor. The incident occurred as the vessel transited from Salalah in Oman via Djibouti, according to Yemeni sources cited by Reuters. UK Maritime Trade Operations had received reports of a cargo vessel struck by an unknown projectile off Yemen’s coast with casualties confirmed shortly afterward.
Pakistan’s response aligns with its longstanding position on protecting nationals employed in international shipping amid regional instability. The foreign ministry’s instructions to its Riyadh embassy emphasize both repatriation logistics and medical support for the surviving Pakistani national. Officials indicated that coordination with Saudi and Yemeni counterparts would continue as more information emerges from the Bab al-Mandeb area.
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