KARACHI: Pakistan’s navy chief on Wednesday warned of growing maritime security risks linked to tensions in the Middle East, including threats to commercial shipping routes and strategic maritime choke-points critical to global energy trade.
The comments by Admiral Naveed Ashraf came as conflict in the region has heightened concerns over the security of sea lanes near the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit routes through which roughly one-fifth of global petroleum supplies pass.
Chairing a Command and Staff Conference at Naval Headquarters in Islamabad, the navy chief said the evolving regional situation had created emerging challenges for maritime security and freedom of navigation.
“In the backdrop of ongoing situation in the Middle East, he noted emerging threats in the maritime domain including freedom of navigation, potential disruption to vital Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) and volatile maritime security situation across strategic choke-points,” the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said in a statement.
Pakistan, which relies heavily on imported fuel and Gulf shipping routes, is particularly sensitive to disruptions in maritime trade corridors that could affect energy supplies, freight costs and broader economic stability.
The navy chief stressed the need for Pakistan Navy to maintain operational readiness against both conventional and non-conventional threats while investing in advanced military technologies.
“Admiral Naveed Ashraf stressed on acquiring niche and cutting-edge technologies as an absolute strategic necessity for Pakistan Navy,” the ISPR said.
The statement said the navy chief also emphasized Pakistan Navy’s role in maintaining regional maritime stability and providing reassurance to commercial shipping through its presence in the Gulf of Oman.
The conference additionally marked the first anniversary of “Marka-e-Haq,” Pakistan’s official term for the May 2025 conflict with India, with the forum paying tribute to military personnel involved in the confrontation.
