ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday welcomed the US-Houthi ceasefire as a “diplomatic breakthrough” and called for the momentum to be used to advance an inclusive political process in Yemen, while also condemning attacks that threaten global maritime security.
The remarks by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, came during a UN Security Council briefing on Yemen, days after the United States announced a halt to airstrikes in the region.
US President Donald Trump declared an immediate ceasefire with Yemen’s Houthi rebels on May 6 after the group agreed to stop attacking American vessels in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The agreement, brokered by Oman, aims to reduce tensions and safeguard vital international shipping lanes.
The Houthis have said their attacks were in response to US support for Israel and in solidarity with Palestinians, but the targeting of global shipping has drawn widespread condemnation.
“This opportunity must not be squandered or exploited. It should be used to advance an inclusive, intra-Yemeni political process,” said the top Pakistani diplomat at the UN.
He expressed alarm over the deepening humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where, he said, more than 19.5 million people need assistance, including 17.1 million facing acute food insecurity and 12 million children lacking access to basic services.
Ahmad pointed out that what began as a domestic conflict in Yemen had evolved into a regional and international challenge with serious humanitarian, political, economic and environmental consequences.
He reiterated that only a “Yemeni-owned, Yemeni-led” process facilitated by the United Nations could provide a credible path to lasting peace. Pakistan, he said, fully supports such an initiative.
Welcoming mediation efforts by Saudi Arabia and Oman, the ambassador urged all parties to honor the December 2023 Roadmap, a UN-facilitated plan calling for a nationwide ceasefire, resumption of oil exports and the launch of an inclusive political process, while showing maximum restraint and prioritize diplomatic engagement.
He also condemned attacks on global shipping while urging the international community to remain engaged in preventing further deterioration of the situation in Yemen.
