KARACHI: Pakistan has started identifying alternative sources of crude oil imports following the reported closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the Houthis’ announcement restricting the movement of Saudi oil shipments through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from the Red Sea port of Yanbu.
The developments have raised concerns over the country’s energy security and the uninterrupted supply of crude oil.
In response, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik convened an emergency meeting with the chief executive officers (CEOs) and managing directors (MDs) of the country’s oil refineries to assess the evolving regional security situation amid tensions involving the United States, Iran and the Houthis.
During the meeting, the minister directed refinery officials to urgently identify alternative import routes and supply sources to ensure a continuous flow of crude oil into Pakistan and minimise the risk of supply disruptions.
Officials who attended the meeting said the refineries had already begun contacting international trading companies to assess the availability of crude oil from alternative suppliers, including the United States, Singapore, Nigeria and several Central Asian countries.
The move is aimed at reducing Pakistan’s dependence on Gulf supplies in the event that regional shipping routes remain disrupted, while ensuring the country’s fuel requirements continue to be met without interruption.
The government is closely monitoring the situation and evaluating contingency measures to safeguard the country’s energy needs amid growing uncertainty in key maritime oil transit routes.
