Jamat-e-Islami (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmed said Pakistan Navy ISPR Director General (DG) sent him a ‘clarification’ over the Navy’s deployment in the Red Sea and reiterated that Pakistan Navy stood with the people of Gaza and their hearts bleed over the human rights violations in Gaza.

Senator Mushtaq posted on X, “I would like to clarify that the press release we have issued regarding deployment of our ships in the Arabian Sea for protection of Pakistan bound shipping and international shipping traversing through our area has nothing to do with Hamas and Israeli conflict.”

“We fully support the Palestinian cause in accordance with the government policy and we are not party to any conflict between Houthis and Israel,” he added.

The Navy DGPR said: “It is the prime responsibility of Pakistan Navy to ensure safety of our ships and safety of sea lines of communications passing through our waters as per international obligations. Under the garb of the operations by Houthis against Israelis, Somali pirates have also started hijacking ships for ransom.”

“Recently a ship carrying around 1000 containers which was to arrive at Port Qasim was hijacked by Somali pirates. This had adverse effects on our trade. I would again reiterate that Pakistan Navy is responsible for safety of Pakistan’s sea lines of communications, and this is the reason for our existence,” the statement further reads.

It said: “We are not part of any US coalition Operating against Houthis nor do we support US stance on the Palestinian issue.”

Stands with Gaza

“Pakistan Navy will not act against the government policy and the officers and men of Pakistan Navy full support the Palestinian cause and our heart bleed on the blatant human rights violations being committed by Israel in Gaza,”