RIYADH: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated his country’s condemnation of the Houthi attack on a Saudi vessel and their threat to navigation in the Red Sea during a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast support for the Kingdom’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to SPA. The two leaders also reviewed the latest regional developments and discussed ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions and promote stability across the region.

“Such actions threaten regional security, undermine freedom of navigation, challenge the rules-based maritime order," it says.

Reaffirms its right to take "all necessary measures" in self-defence; expresses concern over attempts to drag Saudi Arabia into conflict.