ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday evacuated an injured Indian sailor from an oil tanker in the Arabian Sea, in a rare humanitarian gesture weeks after the two countries fought a brief four-day war that further strained already tense relations.
The medical evacuation was coordinated by the Pakistan Navy’s Joint Maritime Information and Coordination Center (JMICC), which received a distress call from the Liberian-flagged oil and chemical tanker MT HIGH LEADER, carrying an all-Indian crew.
The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) deployed a vessel and transferred the injured crew member to a hospital in Karachi for emergency treatment.
“The successful medical evacuation is yet another testament to the operational readiness and responsiveness of Pakistan’s maritime safety apparatus,” the Pakistan Navy said in a statement.
“The swift execution reflects Pakistan Navy’s resolve to fulfill its international obligations for the safety of life at sea, irrespective of the nationality of the seafarers involved,” it added.
The incident comes at a time of high diplomatic friction between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Last month’s military confrontation, involving missile, drone and artillery exchanges, marked one of the most serious escalations in recent years.
Pakistan has repeatedly called for the revival of a composite dialogue process to resolve long-standing issues, including the Kashmir dispute, cross-border militancy and a water-sharing arrangement under the Indus Waters Treaty.
India, however, has resisted any engagement so far.
The JMICC, which coordinated the evacuation, serves as Pakistan’s central maritime emergency response hub and regularly liaises with both national and international stakeholders.
