New Delhi, September 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Pakistan’s heavy economic dependence on the Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandeb corridor is exposing its shipping, trade and overseas remittance flows to growing risks amid the continuing conflict involving Yemen’s Houthi forces, according to an analysis published by The Global Kashmir.
A significant portion of Pakistan’s foreign exchange earnings comes from remittances sent by Pakistani nationals working as crew members on merchant vessels, while major trade flows are linked to the country’s ports, including Karachi and Gwadar. The Bab al-Mandeb corridor is crucial to both economic streams.
The analysis by Mehaq Farooq notes that the security situation has changed sharply since late 2023, when missile and drone attacks linked to the wider regional conflict transformed the area from a piracy-prone maritime zone into a much more complex security challenge.
Earlier, piracy threats could largely be addressed through coalition naval patrols and escorted shipping. The emergence of missile and drone attacks, however, requires more sophisticated naval capabilities, including missile interception, rapid response and protection of vulnerable commercial vessels.
According to the article, Pakistan lacks the naval assets and operational reach required to independently secure such a distant corridor. Its naval operations are primarily focused on protecting Pakistan-flagged vessels along designated routes closer to home, leaving much of its economic exposure through foreign-flagged shipping and overseas maritime labour dependent on the security arrangements of other countries and multinational naval structures.
The deteriorating conditions have contributed to higher insurance costs, disrupted shipping schedules and increased risks for Pakistani seafarers, the analysis states.
The article argues that establishing an independent naval presence capable of operating effectively in the region would require substantial resources and strategic prioritisation that Pakistan’s current defence posture does not provide.
It concludes that Pakistan’s economic dependence on a maritime corridor over which it has limited operational influence represents a growing strategic vulnerability, with the risks likely to increase unless the gap between economic dependence and naval reach is addressed.
FOLLOW NOW
