Pakistan condemns missile strike on Saudi Arabia, demands cessation of Houthi attacks

A Houthi projectile launched from Yemen landed in Samtah, a town in the southwestern Jazan region, killing two people and wounding seven. (SPA)
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Updated 26 December 2021
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Pakistan condemns missile strike on Saudi Arabia, demands cessation of Houthi attacks

  • Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia killed two people in the kingdom by firing a ballistic missile that targeted civilian population in Jazan
  • Pakistan reaffirmed its full support and solidarity with the kingdom against any threats to its security and territorial integrity

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday condemned a ballistic missile attack on Saudi Arabia that killed two people and injured seven others in the kingdom’s southwestern region on Friday.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, a Houthi projectile killed a Yemeni resident of the kingdom along with a Saudi national when it hit the town of Samtah in Jazan.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia has carried out several missile attacks against Saudi Arabia in the past, though the kingdom has thwarted many of these strikes to protect its population and strategic installations.




This photograph released by Saudi Press Agency on December 25, 2021 shows the site where a Houthi projectile landed and killed two people in Saudi Arabia's southern Jazan region. (SPA)

The recent incident in Jazan wounded six Saudi citizens along with a Bangladeshi national.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the launch of hostile projectiles by Houthis towards Samtah governorate in Jazan region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that resulted in casualties, injuries and damage to civilian infrastructure,” the country’s foreign office said in a statement.
It added that “such attacks not only violate international law but also threaten peace and security of the Kingdom … and the region.”
The Pakistani foreign ministry also called for immediate cessation of these attacks.
“Pakistan reaffirms its full support and solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against any threats to its security and territorial integrity,” the statement maintained.
Reacting to the development, the prime minister’s advisor on the Middle East Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi demanded the United Nations, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Arab League to take notice of such attacks on the Muslim holy land.
“Such attacks are not just a cause of concern for Saudi Arabia but also for Muslims around the world,” he told Arab News. “We condemn them.”
A senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, denounced the incident and demanded an end to Houthi violence against the kingdom.
“We condemn the breach of Saudi territorial sovereignty and want an end to all types of violence against Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Zafar-ul-Haq noted the people of Pakistan had tremendous affection for the kingdom, adding that their country had always stood with the kingdom and would continue to do that.
Commenting on the missile strike in Jazan, Sehar Kamran of the Pakistan Peoples Party described it as a “terrorist act.”
“This continued aggression against Saudi Arabia by Houthis is a clear violation of international law and every peace-loving person would condemn such acts,” she told Arab News. “If the Houthis want peace in the region, they will have to stop such strikes. They are clearly committing terrorist acts.”


Pakistan mulls space-based monitoring to support port expansion, maritime safety

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Pakistan mulls space-based monitoring to support port expansion, maritime safety

  • Minister says satellite technology could aid port planning and environmental protection
  • Islamabad seeks to modernize ports as it eyes transshipment role, Central Asian trade

KARACHI: Pakistan is considering the use of space-based monitoring systems to support port expansion, maritime safety and environmental protection, the country’s maritime affairs minister said on Wednesday, as he visited the headquarters of the national space agency.

The visit comes as Islamabad seeks to position itself as a transshipment hub by upgrading cargo handling, streamlining import and export processes and offering its southern ports on the Arabian Sea to landlocked Central Asian states as trade gateways.

“Advanced space-based monitoring systems can play a vital role in safeguarding seas, improving maritime management and strengthening responses to environmental threats,” Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said, according to a statement released after his visit.

Chaudhry was briefed on satellite-based assessments identifying potential sites for new ports, as well as tools for maritime traffic monitoring and disaster response.

Pakistan has been working to expand and modernize its port infrastructure to improve efficiency and attract regional cargo flows, particularly as it seeks to enhance connectivity through its coastline along the Arabian Sea.

During the visit, officials from the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) outlined the use of high-resolution satellite imagery, artificial intelligence and digital modelling to monitor ports, track cargo dwell time, detect oil spills and support search-and-rescue operations at sea.

“We can benefit from continuous monitoring of coastal ecosystems to assess water quality, sediment dispersion and overall environmental health,” Chaudhry said, adding that data-driven approaches were essential for informed policymaking in the maritime sector.

He also highlighted the growing risks posed by climate change, including rising sea levels, coastal erosion and extreme weather events, and said stronger cooperation between maritime authorities and scientific institutions was needed to protect coastal communities and infrastructure.

SUPARCO officials said the agency was ready to develop artificial intelligence-based solutions for ports and maritime operations, including systems to address customs-related inefficiencies and improve emergency response times.
The minister said the ministry and SUPARCO would move toward formalizing cooperation through a structured framework to support joint initiatives.