Pakistan Navy escorts merchant ships as Gulf tensions threaten energy supply
Karachi, March 10 – Pakistan Navy has begun escorting merchant vessels to safeguard maritime trade and energy supplies, the military said late on Monday, as escalating tensions linked to the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran raise concerns over shipping security in the Gulf region.
The military said naval ships were deployed to accompany commercial vessels to ensure the uninterrupted flow of national energy supplies and maintain the security of sea lines of communication, which are critical for the country’s economy.
The escort operation was launched to counter what the military described as “multidimensional threats” to national shipping and maritime commerce. Pakistan relies heavily on sea routes for trade, with the armed forces noting that roughly 90 percent of the country’s commerce moves by sea.
Officials said maintaining secure maritime corridors was essential to ensuring the continuity of energy imports and broader economic stability.
Pakistan, which shares a border with Iran in its southwest, depends significantly on oil and gas supplies from Gulf producers.
Amid concerns about supply disruptions linked to the regional conflict, the government raised domestic fuel prices by about 20 percent last week, triggering long lines at petrol stations across the country.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced a series of austerity measures aimed at conserving fuel, including closing government offices one day a week and directing half of public-sector staff to work from home.
Authorities also ordered schools to shut for two weeks as part of the effort to reduce fuel consumption and limit transport demand.
The military said naval forces remained fully prepared to respond to emerging maritime security challenges but did not provide further details about the scope or duration of the escort operations.
The move comes as heightened tensions across the Gulf region raise concerns among energy importers about potential disruptions to shipping routes and oil supplies.
