Demand government action to safely recover 10 Pakistani crew members held by pirates
Families of Pakistani crew members kidnapped by Somali pirates protest at the Native Jetty Bridge in Karachi on Wednesday. SCREENSHOT
Families of Pakistani crew members kidnapped by Somali pirates on Wednesday expressed deep concern over lack of government action even after 23 days of oil tanker hijacking, saying no concrete efforts had been made for their safe recovery.
Speaking at a protest at the Native Jetty Bridge, affected families said they were not aware of any ransom demands from the pirates and had received no clear updates from the government regarding negotiations or rescue efforts.
“Our only demand is the recovery and safe return of our loved ones,” said a member of the protesting families, adding that the lives of the hostages remained in danger. They warned that if the Prime Minister did not immediately take notice of the situation, they would begin a hunger strike with their children in the coming days.
Read: Somali pirates demand direct negotiations with Pakistan
A large number of women and children took part in the demonstration, holding placards bearing photographs of the kidnapped crew members and slogans demanding their release. Among the protesting families were the wives of several crew members.
Anjuman-e-Burhani Trust Chairman Ansar Burney also visited the protest site with his family to express solidarity with the affected families.
The families said they had recently managed to speak with the abducted crew members, who reported deteriorating conditions aboard the ship. “They told us that their hope of survival was fading, that food and water had run out and that their condition was extremely critical,” they said.
They demanded the immediate appointment of a focal point at the government level, the activation of diplomatic channels and urgent measures for the recovery of the hostages.
Speaking on the occasion, Burney described the government’s response as “very indifferent” and said that although no official ransom demand had been made so far, efforts were being made through his charity to facilitate contact at various levels.
He added that the pirates had expressed their willingness to enter into direct negotiations with the government of Pakistan. He urged the Prime Minister to immediately take cognizance of the situation and take prompt action to safely recover the crew.
Read also: “We have no more water”: Pakistani sailors detained by Somali pirates call for help
The children of the abducted sailors made emotional appeals for the return of their fathers, uncles and relatives before Eidul Azha.
The oil tanker MT Honor 25, operated by an Indonesia-based company, was hijacked off the coast of Somalia on April 21. The ship was carrying a crew of 17, including 10 Pakistani nationals. The captain of the ship is Indonesian.
The Pakistani crew members include Second Officer Syed Kashif Umar Naqvi, Second Engineer Syed Hussain Yusuf, Third Engineer Mahmood Ahmed Ansari, Fourth Engineer Usman Ghani, Seaman Aqeel Khan, Muhammad Yasin, Tanker Imran Ali, Rafiullah Khan, Yasir Khan and Fitter Ameen bin Shams.
