Saturday April 5, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Aslat has conducted counter-piracy patrols in the Arabian Sea off the eastern coast of Somalia, as part of operations led by the Pakistan-commanded Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151), Pakistani officials confirmed Saturday.
CTF-151, a multinational naval task force tasked with securing critical shipping routes, is intensifying its patrols near the Gulf of Aden and the Socotra Gap, where the threat of piracy remains high. The Directorate General Public Relations of the Pakistan Navy stated the patrols aim to deter maritime piracy, armed robbery, and other illicit activities in the region’s strategic waters.
“These efforts are vital to protect Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) and ensure the free flow of global maritime trade,” the Pakistan Navy said.
PNS Aslat’s deployment reflects Islamabad’s continued commitment to maritime security in the region and comes as the United Nations Security Council unanimously renewed sanctions on the Al-Shabaab terrorist group operating in Somalia last month.
“Al-Shabaab’s ability to radicalize, recruit, raise funds via extortion and piracy, and procure weapons must be disrupted,” Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Usman Iqbal Jadoon, told the Security Council.