KARACHI:
Families of Pakistani nationals held hostage by Somali pirates have renewed their call for urgent government intervention as the ordeal enters its 40th day, as relatives say the captives face deteriorating living conditions and growing health risks.
In a video statement, Ayesha Amin, wife of hostage Amin Bin Shams, urged the Pakistani government to take immediate and effective measures to ensure the safe release of her husband and other Pakistanis held by pirates.
She said prolonged captivity had left families trapped in a state of uncertainty, distress and emotional trauma.
According to Ayesha Amin, the situation of the hostages is deteriorating day by day.
Citing reports received by families, she said food supplies available to the captives were almost exhausted and they would survive on raw rice and contaminated water, raising serious concerns about their health and well-being.
She also alleged that the company operating the ship linked to the incident did not play an effective role in securing the release of the hostages or remedying their plight, further aggravating family members’ anxiety.
Ayesha said the families had endured 40 days of anguish and suffering, with each day becoming more and more difficult. She added that the emotional toll was particularly heavy for children separated from their fathers.
She revealed that her children ask daily when their father will come home, but the family has so far been unable to explain the situation to them in full.
She said the children’s innocent questions and prolonged separation from their father became an unbearable source of pain and worry for the family.
Speaking directly to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Field Marshal Asim Munir, she urged the authorities to intervene on humanitarian grounds and use all available diplomatic and administrative channels to ensure the speedy and safe recovery of the Pakistani hostages.
The families said they remained hopeful that the government would take swift and effective action to protect the lives of its citizens and facilitate their safe return home so that they could be reunited with their loved ones.
