Government denies issuing order to suspend port entries in Pakistan

The government has formally denied the authenticity of a notification circulating on social media, which claimed that the Cabinet Division had ordered a temporary suspension of all port entries in Pakistan due to security concerns. The information ministry issued a fact check on Thursday, describing the notification as “fabricated” and clarifying that no such directive had been issued by either the Cabinet Division or the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.

The disputed notification, dated March 4, alleged that an emergency meeting had been convened by the maritime affairs ministry “in view of the prevailing security situation”. However, it did not provide any specific details regarding the nature of the security concerns or mention any ongoing conflict in the region. The government’s clarification comes at a time when hostilities in the Middle East have disrupted sea traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz, located off Iran’s coast.

In response to these regional disruptions, Pakistan has officially requested Saudi Arabia to provide an alternative oil supply route through the port city of Yanbu. This request aims to maintain Pakistan’s fuel supply chain in light of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Despite these developments, officials emphasized that the purported notification regarding the suspension of port entries is not genuine and has no basis in official policy or government action.

The fake notification did not reference the situation in Iran or the broader Middle East. Instead, it vaguely cited a security situation as the reason for the supposed suspension, without elaborating further. The information ministry reiterated that all ports in Pakistan remain operational and that no orders have been issued to halt port activities.

The government has urged the public and stakeholders to rely on official channels for information and to disregard unverified notifications circulating online.