Pakistan has issued a stern warning that any assault on an unoccupied oil tanker currently stranded in the Red Sea near Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline would be classified as an “act of war”. This declaration comes as Islamabad evaluates options for relocating the vessel while grappling with escalating disruptions to regional maritime commerce.
The statement emerges as Pakistan evaluates its fuel supply situation in light of persistent instability affecting the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab. Federal Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik has indicated that the tanker must eventually be relocated, though Saudi authorities have requested it remain in a standby position for the present.
The vessel has emerged as a critical element in Pakistan’s strategy to maintain fuel supplies through an increasingly challenging regional maritime landscape. Malik has noted that Islamabad is examining multiple alternatives, including repositioning the tanker via Oman or the United Arab Emirates, as well as exploring crude procurement from Libya.
“We will need to relocate it in some manner,” Malik stated during an interview with a private news outlet, noting that Saudi authorities had requested the vessel maintain its current standby status.
The minister’s statement underscores mounting security apprehensions regarding commercial shipping operations in the Red Sea. Pakistan has emphasized that any attack on a vessel bearing its flag would result in significant repercussions, with Malik characterizing such an incident as an “act of war”. The administration is concurrently investigating substitute routes to safeguard the nation’s fuel supply continuity.
The situation has been further complicated by the temporary suspension of Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline, a critical conduit intended to move crude from the kingdom’s western oilfields to its Red Sea terminal while circumventing the Strait of Hormuz. According to Reuters, the 1,200-kilometre pipeline was temporarily halted following an aerial strike and had previously transported approximately 4 million to 5 million barrels daily.
The pipeline had assumed greater importance after shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was severely disrupted by the wider US-Iran conflict. Its closure has therefore added another pressure point to an already strained energy network.
Saudi Arabia’s pipeline could remain out of service for several weeks, according to reports, leaving Pakistan to consider whether to wait for the route to reopen or redirect the tanker through alternative waters. Reports have put the potential repair period at several weeks, although the exact timeline remains subject to operational and security conditions.
Fuel pressure
For Islamabad, the shipping disruption has a direct bearing on domestic fuel security. Malik has warned that Pakistan’s planning for diesel supplies is becoming increasingly important as the regional conflict threatens established routes for energy imports.
The minister separately said Pakistan had sufficient petrol stocks for September and had completed planning for October, while arrangements for November supplies were being worked on as disruptions continued across major maritime routes. He also said a Pakistani vessel had already successfully passed through Bab al-Mandab.