The head of Pakistan's armed forces said avoiding the Suez Canal is not a viable long‐term option for shipping lines, warning it would raise costs and destabilise supply chains, according to a Suez Canal Authority statement Wednesday. General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, said the waterway remains the fastest, safest and most cost‐efficient route between Asia and Europe. Diverting around it increases sailing times, fuel consumption, insurance premiums and operational expenses, he said during talks in Ismailia with SCA Chairman Osama Rabie. Mirza praised Egypt's efforts to expand and modernise the canal and turn the surrounding area into a global logistics and industrial hub. The meeting also explored closer cooperation between the two nations' maritime sectors. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
