Pakistan condemns drone attacks on Saudi oil pipeline, reaffirms support for Kingdom's sovereignty and security

Pakistan has strongly condemned drone attacks on the East-West Pipeline in Saudi Arabia's Riyadh and Madinah regions, reaffirming its support for the Kingdom's sovereignty and security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said on Saturday. "Pakistan reaffirmed its support for Saudi Arabia's sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and prosperity, and reiterated its solidarity with the country's leadership, government and people, the ministry said. The statement "strongly condemns the reprehensible drone attacks" on the East-West Pipeline, saying that the attacks and targeting of civilian infrastructure were "a flagrant violation of international law" as well as the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia. According to the ministry, the attacks also posed "a serious threat to regional peace, security and stability". It said Pakistan had been and would continue to make "earnest efforts for achieving lasting peace and stability in the region". 🔈 PR No. 2️⃣4️⃣2️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ Pakistan Strongly Condemns Drone Attacks on Pipeline in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/giDwEV7O9r — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 12, 2026 Saudi Arabia shut down its East-West oil pipeline Saudi Arabia’s shutdown of its vital East-West oil pipeline following drone strikes has brought renewed attention to its role in carrying crude from the kingdom’s eastern oil-producing region to the Red Sea while bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. The Saudi Energy Ministry said on Friday that the pipeline had been targeted on Thursday morning by several drones in the Riyadh and Medina regions, prompting authorities to halt its operation as a precaution. An official ministry source, cited by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), said emergency and technical teams had begun securing the pipeline and checking its safety, adding that any further developments would be announced as they became available. Read: Saudis shut down oil pipeline as Houthis tighten grip on Red Sea shipping The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the attack was carried out using several drones launched from Iraq and resulted in injuries and material damage. The ministry did not specify the number of casualties, the extent of damage to the pipeline or its pumping stations, or how long the shutdown was expected to last. However, the East-West pipeline’s central role in Saudi Arabia’s oil export system, particularly as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has declined amid the current US-Iran conflict, means its suspension carries implications beyond damage to a domestic energy facility. What is the East-West pipeline? The East-West pipeline, also known as Petroline, is one of Saudi Arabia’s most important crude oil transportation systems. Operated by the state energy company Aramco, it stretches approximately 1,200 kilometres (745 miles) from Abqaiq in the kingdom’s Eastern Province to Yanbu on the Red Sea coast. The pipeline lies entirely within Saudi territory and does not cross another country’s borders. Its strategic function, however, extends beyond domestic transportation. It carries crude from the kingdom’s main production and processing areas in the east to refineries, storage facilities and export terminals on its western coast. This allows Saudi Arabia to move large quantities of crude to the Red Sea without shipping it through the Strait of Hormuz amid the current military conflict between the US and Iran. Pakistan backs KSA after Houthi attacks Pakistan on Tuesday threw its weight behind Saudi Arabia after a fresh wave of Houthi missile and drone attacks hit civilian and economic targets in the kingdom, raising questions over whether the newly signed Makkah Joint Defence Agreement could face its first major test barely a month after its conclusion. Islamabad strongly condemned the attacks on Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran, which Saudi authorities said wounded at least 73 people, including women and children. Saudi energy authorities also reported fires and a temporary suspension of some operations at energy facilities following the strikes. The FO said the attacks were a "flagrant violation" of Saudi Arabia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and supported Riyadh's "legitimate right" under international law to take necessary measures to defend its territory, population and national assets. 🔊PR No.2️⃣3️⃣9️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ Pakistan Strongly Condemns the Reprehensible Attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/L0ZyfwsBKj — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 8, 2026 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif separately condemned what he described as a "cowardly attack" targeting civilian and energy facilities, reaffirming Pakistan's "unwavering solidarity" with Saudi Arabia and its leadership. I condemn in the strongest terms, the cowardly attack by Houthis targeting civilian and energy facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which have left many people injured. Pakistan stands in unwavering solidarity with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Majesty King… — Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) September 8, 2026 The unusually strong language comes against the backdrop of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on August 7. The agreement stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be regarded as an attack against all three and calls for enhanced defence cooperation. Pakistan has, however, repeatedly stressed that the accord is defensive in nature and is not directed against any particular country. Houthi attack on Saudi The flare-up in violence between Saudi Arabia and the ⁠group came as tensions mounted between the United States and Iran as the wider Middle East ​conflict sent oil prices soaring with diplomatic negotiations stalling. Brent crude futures rose $1 to $98/BBL after the Saudi energy ​ministry statement, while US crude futures rose over $2 to $93.65/BBL. On Monday, the Financial Times newspaper said Aramco's Jazan oil facilities were hit in new strikes, and the damage was being assessed. Reuters was not immediately able to verify the report, ​and Aramco has not commented. The Houthi military spokesperson said the group would announce in the coming ​hours a broad operation deep into Saudi territory. Read more: Iran warns US ‘economic warfare’ could trigger Gulf maritime exclusion zone The Saudi energy ministry said concerned authorities were dealing with the repercussions of the attacks. "The ‌needed measures ⁠will be taken to ensure the safety of the facilities and workers and the continuation of work according to the approved operational plans," said the ministry. Spokesperson Yahya Saree said that Riyadh had taken "escalatory steps" by conducting airstrikes on Yemen, and warned that Houthi strikes would not go unanswered. The ​Saudi-led coalition did not ​announce any recent strikes ⁠on Yemen, but the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has in recent days mounted an offensive on multiple fronts against the Houthis in Yemen. The coalition vowed to ​respond firmly to the latest outbreak of hostilities, saying the latest escalation against the ​de facto OPEC ⁠leader was "dangerous". "The coalition will take all necessary operational measures to deter this terrorist militia and resolutely confront its hostile approach," Colonel Turki al-Malki said in a statement on X. The Houthis, who control the most ⁠populous parts ​of Yemen and much of the north, have been launching attacks ​towards Saudi Arabia since they declared a naval blockade against Riyadh in July, with strikes targeting its vessels in the Red Sea. Makkah Defence Pact The recent Houthi attacks came at a time when Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye had just formalised their longstanding strategic ties through the signing of the “Makkah Joint Defence Agreement”, a trilateral security framework that its proponents describe as a defensive arrangement aimed at strengthening collective deterrence, enhancing military cooperation and promoting regional stability. The agreement, signed during the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence, has prompted comparisons with military alliances such as NATO. However, according to security analysts, the pact is intended to formalise decades of existing strategic cooperation rather than create a new military bloc or offensive alliance. A formal framework for existing ties According to security analysts, the agreement represents the natural progression of longstanding political, military and strategic relations among the three countries. They note that Pakistan's ties with Turkiye date back to the Khilafat Movement, while Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have maintained decades of defence, political, economic and diplomatic cooperation based on what they describe as mutual trust and shared strategic interests. Rather than establishing an entirely new partnership, analysts say the agreement provides a formal institutional framework for cooperation that has evolved over many years. Security analysts argue that the agreement reflects a rapidly changing regional security environment. They point to regional conflicts, evolving security threats, and changes in the character of modern warfare as factors driving closer strategic coordination among countries that share common security interests. According to them, the trilateral framework is intended to preserve regional stability by strengthening collective security mechanisms instead of relying on ad hoc bilateral cooperation. At its core, the agreement establishes a framework based on the principles of collective security and collective deterrence. Security analysts say its central premise is that aggression against one member would be regarded as a threat to all three, thereby increasing the potential cost of military action and discouraging conflict through credible deterrence. The framework also envisages expanded defence cooperation, including closer military coordination, intelligence sharing, strategic consultations, defence planning and broader institutional cooperation between the three countries. According to analysts, pooling military capabilities and strategic coordination is intended to improve preparedness while reducing the likelihood of regional conflict.

from Pakistan News, Latest News Pakistan, Pakistan Headline | The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/usbSeXJ