From Sea to Shore: All Eyes on Pakistan’s Peacekeeping Services
Syed Qalbe Muhammad
The failure of peace dialogue between the political and military leadership of Iran and the US remains another question mark for global trade, the shipping industry, and seafarers. The diplomatic efforts of Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Shahbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Mr. Asim Munir have drawn everyone’s attention to Pakistan, both at sea and ashore.
It is quite remarkable that Pakistan has very strong relations with Iran, while on the other side, US President Mr. Donald Trump has also appreciated Pakistan’s political and military leadership. Even all major stakeholders are willing to listen to Pakistan.
A few days ago, the welcome news of the war being stopped eased life at sea, but the failure of the first round of peace dialogue in Islamabad has again created disturbances at sea. Seafarers might face similar problems of unpaid wages and threats to life while traveling through war zones, especially the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Persian Gulf. Shortages of provisions, bunkers, stores, medicine, etc., also persist. Families of seafarers remain stressed at home due to previous massive attacks on different ships.
Seafarers are bound to follow orders. They do not choose cargo for any country or port — charter parties and office staff handle those matters. Even though they have overall command of the fleet, seafarers, including the Master, follow office orders onboard. The core responsibility of the Captain and Chief Engineer is the safety of the vessel and its crew. They are innocent in the selection of cargo or its loading and discharging ports and parties.
Currently, the Strait of Hormuz is open and sea traffic is passing slowly under strict vigilance. The Gulf region and Strait of Hormuz area are now known for GPS signal loss, continuous threat alerts, and emergency calls, both designated and undesignated, on SAT-C, MF/HF, and VHF. Sometimes it is very difficult to verify a ship’s position, as some ships no longer have paper charts because the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office stopped printing them on 1st January 2026.
Sea routes and life remain stressed due to political instability and fear of war. Mr. Donald Trump said that ships paying to cross the Strait of Hormuz will not be allowed to trade. Even in this unpredictable and unstable situation, global bodies of international shipping have not set any concrete policy or mechanism.
However, safe seas benefit everyone. They drive global economies and deliver 40% of the world’s food supply. I personally suggest that the International Maritime Organization should take Pakistan’s Minister of Ports & Shipping, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudary, onboard in this regard and work to de-escalate the situation to avoid attacks on merchant ships.
It is a very good sign that Iranian shipping companies are providing sign-off to foreign national seafarers who wish to return home. Global diplomacy is also building strong pressure on Israel to stop bloodshed in Palestine and Lebanon.
At present, global trade is revolving around Pakistan, and we hope that the current leadership will find a better solution to ease life from sea to shore.
About the Author:
Syed Qalbe Muhammad is a senior journalist with vast experience in covering shipping and sea trade. His work has been recognized by global international organizations. He has over 15 years of experience sailing on three major types of tankers and holds a Radio Officer license.