ISLAMABAD (The Thursday Times) — The Qatari LNG tanker attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday was carrying gas for Pakistan and had been cleared by Iran only hours earlier after talks with Islamabad, people with direct knowledge of the matter said.
The Marshall Islands-flagged Al Mayeda was loaded with Qatari LNG and heading for the strait when it came under fire, the people said on condition of anonymity. It was not clear why the ship was targeted or who was responsible. Ship-tracking data showed it later turned back into the Gulf, and it is unknown whether it will try again to reach Pakistan.
Its owner, Qatar Gas Transport Company, known as Nakilat, confirmed on Sunday that the vessel had been hit and said it remained operational and was being assessed. India’s Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on X that the ship was struck in a projectile attack and that all 25 crew, including six Indians, were safe.
Pakistan has spoken to Iranian authorities about the safety of several other Qatari LNG shipments over the past month, all of which reached the Gulf of Oman safely, the people said. Islamabad’s ties with Tehran and its role as a mediator between Iran and the United States have helped it keep some cargoes moving at a time when LNG flows through Hormuz are running at about 30 per cent of pre-war levels.
Losing the cargo would add to the pressure on a country already short of energy because of the war. Pakistan could have to replace it on the spot market, where prices are more than three times their pre-war level. QatarEnergy has already told some Pakistani buyers not to expect LNG until the end of the year.
Pakistan’s petroleum ministry, QatarEnergy and Iran’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
