Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry. Photos: files
Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said 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, including 10 Pakistani nationals. The families of the Pakistani hostages have repeatedly called on the government to release their loved ones safely.
In video and audio messages, the Pakistani hostages reported that supplies of food and medicine on board the ship had run out. They said they were only given one serving of boiled rice a day. Drinking water is also running out, forcing the hostages to drink contaminated water, causing illness among them.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs today said Chaudhry spoke to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar over 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 on board the hijacked ship.
“The government is actively working for the safe return of Pakistani citizens,” the minister said, adding that Pakistan was in constant contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Somali Embassy.
He stressed the need to accelerate measures to quickly and safely release the crew, adding that humanitarian efforts were launched as soon as the incident was reported in April.
Last week, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan remained “actively engaged” in efforts to secure the release of the crew.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing, Andrabi acknowledged that the situation remained serious and complex. The Minister of Marine 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 Foreign Ministry, the ship’s location and its highly explosive cargo significantly complicated rescue efforts.
The spokesperson explained that any direct law enforcement operation could endanger the lives of the hostages and that authorities had prioritized negotiations and diplomatic engagement.
He also urged the Somali government and the shipowner to ensure that the hostages receive food, drinking water and other basic amenities while negotiations continue.
Security analysts have warned that recent incidents could signal a resumption of opportunistic hijackings in the region, posing serious risks to international ships and maritime crews.
Somali pirate attacks reached their peak in 2011, when armed groups launched operations up to 3,655 kilometers from Somalia’s coast, threatening one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes.
