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A statement from the Pakistani Prime Minister’s Office detailed that Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on July 23. During the discussion Sharif expressed Pakistan’s condemnation in the strongest possible terms of the dastardly attacks carried out by the Houthi militia against Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. The Prime Minister’s Office said Sharif added that such actions were totally unacceptable, constituted a clear violation of international law, threatened freedom of navigation and commercial shipping, and undermined regional peace, security and stability. The office described the conversation as most cordial.
Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s complete solidarity with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia according to the statement. He stated that he along with Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, the Chief of Defence Forces and the entire Pakistani nation stands firmly and resolutely with the Saudi leadership and brotherly people of the Kingdom at this critical time. The readout indicated that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appreciated Pakistan’s steadfast support and the close fraternal ties between the two countries.
The two leaders reviewed the latest regional developments and discussed ongoing efforts to reduce tensions while enhancing security and stability across the region. They agreed to continue working very closely to maintain regional peace, security, stability and the uninterrupted flow of lawful maritime commerce through the Red Sea as well as the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region, the Prime Minister’s Office reported. The statement emphasised the importance both sides placed on these shared priorities.
The condemnation follows Houthi claims of responsibility for striking two Saudi oil tankers identified as the Encelia and the Layla on July 22. Al Jazeera reported that Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the vessels were targeted for violating the militia’s naval blockade decision on Saudi Arabia. Reuters reported from Cairo that the Encelia transmitted a distress call after a missile strike near the Saudi port of Jizan causing a fire at its bow with no known casualties reported.
These strikes represent the first such actions since the Houthis announced the blockade against Saudi vessels a day earlier according to a Reuters dispatch. The incidents have prompted shipping companies to reroute tankers and raised concerns about additional disruptions to global oil supplies beyond existing Red Sea challenges. Dawn reported that Pakistan had earlier warned it retained the right to self-defence if its maritime interests were targeted by the militia.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement in September 2025 that builds on decades of security and economic cooperation between the two countries, Dawn noted in its coverage. The latest high-level call reflects the depth of coordination on regional security matters that has characterised bilateral relations in recent years. The Prime Minister’s Office statement highlighted the fraternal nature of ties that have endured through various regional challenges.
