PM Shehbaz condemns strikes on UAE, calls for ceasefire compliance

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday denounced missile and drone strikes targeting civilian sites in the United Arab Emirates, voicing full support for President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the Emirati people.

In a post on X, the premier said Pakistan stood in solidarity with the UAE during a difficult period. He stressed that adherence to the ceasefire was critical to preserve space for diplomacy aimed at long-term peace and regional stability.

The statement followed reports from the UAE a day earlier that it had come under attack, with strikes attributed to Iran hitting key locations, including the strategic Fujairah energy hub. Three Indian nationals were reported injured.

Located outside the Strait of Hormuz, Fujairah serves as one of the region’s limited oil export routes that bypass the chokepoint.

The UAE’s foreign ministry described the strikes as a serious escalation and an unacceptable violation, adding that the country reserved the right to respond.

Iranian state television said military officials had confirmed the attacks, framing them as a response to what it termed “US military adventurism.”

The incident disrupted a relative lull in tensions following a Pakistani-brokered ceasefire between Washington and Tehran that took effect on April 8, halting more than a month of intense confrontation in the Gulf.

Fujairah’s energy infrastructure has been targeted before. A March 14 drone strike on the port triggered fires and temporarily halted some oil-loading operations.

Separately, India condemned the latest attack and urged that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remain uninterrupted. In a statement, foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called for an immediate end to hostilities and attacks on civilians and infrastructure, while reaffirming support for efforts toward a peaceful resolution.