Underscoring that oceans must remain zones of peace, Pakistan has drawn UN Security Council’s attention to the unchecked naval build-ups, militarization of strategic waters and pursuit of regional influence “through muscle-flexing”, as the 15-member body debated maritime security on Monday.
“Attempts to dominate maritime spaces or marginalize coastal States must be rejected; they are counterproductive”, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan, said in the high-level debate convened by Panama, which holds the Council’s presidency for the month of August.
“In some quarters,” he added, “the seas are seen not as a shared domain, but as a stage for asserting primacy.”
Although the Pakistani envoy did not name any country, his comments about naval build-ups and attempts to dominate waterways were seen here as mainly directed at India.
“The oceans connect us all,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar told delegates.
“As a coastal State at the confluence of major sea lanes in the northern Arabian Sea, Pakistan accords the highest importance to a secure, rules-based maritime domain-critical to our national security, economic resilience, regional connectivity, and food and energy security.”
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), he said, remains the bedrock for ocean governance, ensuring freedom of navigation, peaceful dispute settlement, and equitable resource-sharing. “Unwavering adherence to its principles is essential for safeguarding maritime security and peace.”
“Yet,” the Pakistani envoy noted that “troubling patterns endure, manifested by unchecked naval build-ups, deliberate militarization of strategic waters, and the pursuit of regional influence through muscle-flexing and coercive posturing.
“This mindset is laid bare in the orchestrated exclusion of certain States from maritime cooperation arrangements -undermining inclusivity, corroding trust, and destabilizing the balance of the seas,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar said.
Pakistan, he said, regards the Arabian Sea as its “fifth neighbour” – a cornerstone of its economic ambition and strategic horizon. “Positioned at the junction of vital sea lanes, Pakistan is uniquely placed to serve as a premier trans-shipment hub and the primary gateway linking the landlocked heart of Central Asia with the global trading system.”
In this regard, he said, the Pakistan Navy participates in Combined Maritime Forces Task Forces and conducts regular Regional Maritime Security Patrols to ensure safe and secure seas. Pakistan, it was pointed out, also regularly hosts the multinational Exercise AMAN in Karachi, which is one of the largest naval gatherings in the region.
At the national level, Pakistan has enhanced coordination through the Joint Maritime Information Coordination Centre (JMICC), while expanding satellite-based monitoring in collaboration with SUPARCO (Pakistan Space and Upper Atmospheric Research Commission).
“Looking ahead, we are deploying Vessel Traffic Management Information Systems (VTMIS) across key ports to enhance navigational safety, improve maritime domain awareness, and strengthen our overall maritime security architecture”.
Emerging technologies – AI, satellite monitoring, and analytics – were transforming maritime security but they are also posing certain cyber weaponization and inequality risks, he said, adding, “They must be developed responsibly with equitable access and safeguards.”
Pakistan, he said, supports embedding the climate-ocean-security nexus appropriately into global and inclusive frameworks to enable vulnerable coastal States to adapt and thrive.
Emphasizing that maritime security was integral to global peace and stability, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar said, “We must reject any attempts to turn the seas into arenas of strategic rivalry, and should instead reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism, inclusivity, and cooperation.”
He also proposed enhancing the developing countries capacity through technology transfer, maritime domain awareness tools, and joint training programmes; establishing a global early-warning and rapid-response mechanism to address piracy, trafficking, illegal fishing, and maritime accidents in real time; adopting a collaborative approach to emerging maritime technologies; fostering regional dialogue and trust-building to deter hegemonic designs; and integrating climate resilience and disaster-response capabilities into maritime security strategies, protecting coastal communities and safeguarding sea-based trade.
