PM Shehbaz condemns drone, missile attacks in UAE
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday strongly condemned missile and drone attacks on civilian infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), expressing complete solidarity with the countryโs President Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
โPakistan stands firmly with our Emirati brothers and sisters as well as with the government of the UAE at this difficult time,โ PM Shehbaz said in a social media post on X.
โIt is absolutely essential that the ceasefire be upheld and respected, to allow necessary diplomatic space for dialogue leading to enduring peace and stability in the region,โ he said.
On Monday, the UAE said it was targeted by Iranian strikes, including one on its vital Fujairah energy hub that wounded three Indians.
Fujairah lies beyond the Strait of Hormuz, making it one of few export routes for Middle East oil that does not require passing through it.
โThese attacks represent a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable transgression,โ the UAEโs foreign ministry said, adding that the country reserves the โright to respondโ.
Iranโs state television network said military officials had confirmed they attacked the UAE in response to the โUS militaryโs adventurismโ.
The attacks shattered a period of relative calm in the โUAE since a Pakistani-mediated ceasefire between Washington and Tehran took effect on April 8, pausing more โthan โ a month of intense fighting in the Gulf region.
Mondayโs strike โ was not the first time Fujairahโs energy infrastructure had been in the crosshairs. A drone attack on March 14 had โpreviously hit the Port of Fujairah, triggering fires and the โsuspension of โ some oil-loading operations.
Meanwhile, India on Tuesday condemned the incident, urging uninterrupted access to the Strait of Hormuz, the foreign ministry said.
โWe call for immediate cessation of these hostilities and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians,โ Indiaโs foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.
โWe also call for free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the Strait of Hormuz in keeping with international law,โ Jaiswal added.
โIndia stands ready to support all efforts for a peaceful resolution of issues,โ he said.

