Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry. Photos: Archives
Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said on Monday the government was “actively working” to secure the release of 10 sailors held hostage by Somali pirates on a ship for more than a month.
The tanker Honor 25, sailing under the Somali flag from Oman to Somalia, was hijacked by pirates on April 21. There were 17 crew members on board, 10 of whom were Pakistani citizens. The families of the Pakistani hostages have continually asked the government for the safe release of their loved ones.
In video and audio messages, the Pakistani hostages reported that food and medicine supplies on the ship had been depleted. They said they were only given one portion of boiled rice per day. Drinking water has also run out, forcing the hostages to drink contaminated water, which is causing them to become ill.
A statement issued today by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs said Chaudhry spoke to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar about the rescue of the imprisoned sailors and also contacted Pakistan’s ambassador to Somalia.
He also expressed concern about the deteriorating health of crew members aboard the hijacked ship.
“The government is actively working for the safe return of Pakistani citizens,” the minister was quoted as saying in the statement, adding that Pakistan was in constant contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Somali embassy.
He emphasized accelerating measures for the early and safe release of the crew, adding that humanitarian efforts were launched as soon as the incident was reported in April.
Last week, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan continued to “actively participate” in efforts to secure the crew’s release.
At a weekly press conference, Andrabi acknowledged that the situation remained serious and complex. The maritime minister assured that Islamabad was in contact with the shipowner, also the main negotiator with the pirates, while the Somali government remained aware of the entire situation.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the location of the ship and its highly explosive cargo significantly complicated rescue efforts.
The spokesman explained that any direct police operation could endanger the lives of the hostages and that the authorities had prioritized negotiations and diplomatic engagement.
It had also urged the Somali government and the ship’s owner to ensure that the hostages received food, clean water and other basic services while negotiations continued.
Security analysts have warned that recent incidents could indicate a resurgence of opportunistic kidnappings in the region, posing serious risks to international shipping and maritime crews.
Attacks by Somali pirates peaked in 2011, when armed groups launched operations up to 3,655 kilometers off the coast of Somalia, threatening one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes.
