Pakistan condemns drone strikes on Saudi oil pipeline

Pakistan condemns drone strikes on Saudi oil pipeline

Pakistan has strongly condemned drone strikes targeting Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline in the Riyadh and Madina regions, which damaged the vital energy infrastructure and injured civilians.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office described the attacks as “reprehensible” and said targeting civilian infrastructure violated international law as well as Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“These attacks pose a serious threat to regional peace, security and stability,” the Foreign Office said, reaffirming Pakistan’s support for the Kingdom and its people.

Saudi Arabia temporarily shut down the 1,200-kilometre East-West pipeline after the aerial attacks. The pipeline plays a critical role in transporting Saudi crude across the Arabian Peninsula and allows the world’s largest oil exporter to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, where tanker traffic has sharply declined amid the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran.

The attacks have added fresh pressure to global energy markets at a time when supply routes across the Middle East remain under severe strain.

Saudi and Iraqi officials said the drones originated from Iraq, although responsibility for the strikes remained unclear. Satellite imagery showed thick black smoke rising from an area south of Madina following the attack.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry confirmed that the strikes caused damage and injuries but did not provide details about the impact on oil exports. Riyadh has so far refrained from retaliating after receiving a request from Iraq’s prime minister. However, Saudi Arabia warned that it reserves the right to take necessary measures to protect its interests and security.

Iraq also condemned the attack and launched measures to identify those responsible. Baghdad dismissed a military commander on Saturday following the incident and ordered the temporary closure of the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran as a precaution.

The crossing serves as an important route for importing vegetables and other food products from Iran into Iraq.

Two Iraqi security officials said authorities had launched a wide-scale operation to track down those behind the pipeline attack.

The latest incident comes as Saudi oil supplies face mounting disruption. The International Energy Agency said Saudi crude production had fallen to its lowest level in more than three decades, partly because of attacks on vessels travelling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait by groups linked to Yemen’s Houthis.

Pakistan said it would continue diplomatic efforts to promote lasting peace and stability across the region while standing firmly with Saudi Arabia.