ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has intensified diplomatic and inter-ministerial efforts to secure the safe and early release of 10 Pakistani sailors held by Somali pirates, with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar directing officials to strengthen coordination with Somali authorities and international partners.
The 10 Pakistanis are among 17 crew members aboard the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Honour 25, which pirates seized off Somalia’s Puntland region on April 21.
Dar chaired a high-level meeting on Thursday to review the government’s efforts to secure the hostages’ release, according to the Foreign Office.
The foreign minister directed all relevant stakeholders to maintain close and regular coordination and intensify diplomatic engagement with national and international partners, including Somali authorities and relevant international organizations, to facilitate the safe release of the Pakistani citizens.
Dar also expressed solidarity with the hostages’ families and reiterated that the government remained “fully seized of the situation.”
“He also hoped that sustained and coordinated engagement would lead to a positive outcome and the safe return of the Pakistani citizens to their families,” the Foreign Office said.
The government’s efforts involve multiple ministries and departments, reflecting the diplomatic and security challenges surrounding the crew’s detention in Puntland, an autonomous region of Somalia.
Earlier, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the case was being handled through an inter-ministerial process involving the Ministry of Human Rights, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and other relevant departments, which were “closely monitoring the situation.”
Andrabi said a key challenge was that the sailors were being held in “an autonomous region of Somalia.”
He said the situation was further complicated by the “layers of tribal society and the individuals within that society,” including the pirates holding the tanker’s crew.
The government has not disclosed details of any negotiations or contacts with the pirates, nor has it said whether a ransom demand has been made.
