Karachi police briefly detain family members of Pakistani sailors held by Somali pirates

KARACHI: Karachi police on Monday detained 11 family members and supporters of 10 Pakistani sailors held hostage by Somali pirates after breaking up their overnight sit-in outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ liaison office on Shahrah-e-Faisal. The protesters were later released and their belongings returned.

The families had staged the protest near the FTC on Shahrah-e-Faisal, demanding immediate government action to secure the safe release of their relatives, who have been held captive aboard the hijacked oil tanker MT Honour 25 for more than four months.

Police said that the protesters were removed from the site because of security concerns. The sit-in had continued through the night, with around 10 families, including women and children, remaining outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ liaison office.

Some of the detained protesters were taken to the Tipu Sultan Police Station before their relatives demanded their immediate release. Police subsequently confirmed that 11 detainees had been released and that their belongings had been handed back.

The families had earlier held a peaceful protest at Numaish Chowrangi and warned that they would begin a hunger strike from 10am on Monday if their demands were not addressed.

The families have also previously travelled to Islamabad and approached government officials, but say they have seen no tangible progress towards securing the sailors’ release.

The latest protest came amid growing anxiety among relatives, who say they have not been able to contact the sailors for more than a month. They have repeatedly urged the government to provide regular updates on their condition and take concrete steps for their safe return.

How the sailors were taken hostage

The 10 Pakistani sailors are part of the 17-member crew of the Palau-flagged MT Honour 25, which was hijacked by armed Somali pirates on April 21 off the coast of Puntland.

The crew also includes Indonesian, Indian and Sri Lankan nationals.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office said that shortly after the hijacking that its embassy in Djibouti, which is accredited to Somalia, had contacted Somali authorities and was informed that the tanker was anchored off Eyl in Puntland.

The Foreign Office said that Somali authorities were monitoring the situation and had assured Pakistan that information concerning the vessel and the safety of the crew would be shared.

It also said there was reason to believe that the crew members were safe and that the vessel’s owner was in contact with the pirates.

$3 million ransom demand

The hostage crisis has continued for more than four months without a reported breakthrough in negotiations.

According to reports, Somali pirates demanded around $3 million for the release of the tanker, its cargo and crew.

The demand was reportedly conveyed through WhatsApp to the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust in May. The trust had established contact with the pirates, who were reported to have insisted on dealing directly with the Pakistani government.

Reuters reported in May that the shipowner was negotiating with the pirates and was in contact with the Somali government, while the Pakistani Foreign Office said Islamabad had not been directly contacted by the pirates at that stage. The Foreign Office also said a military operation was considered too risky because the tanker was carrying flammable cargo.

There has been no publicly confirmed breakthrough on the ransom issue since then.

Sailors appeal for help

The families’ concerns have been compounded by reports about difficult conditions aboard the tanker.

In May, crew members told their families that they had run short of food, drinking water and medicines.

One sailor said only rice remained and that it was being boiled and eaten once a day, while crew members were reportedly forced to drink contaminated or dirty water.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan also expressed concern over reports that the hostages were surviving on minimal food and contaminated water and called for urgent action by the government and relevant international authorities.

Videos and messages from the sailors have since emerged, including an appeal in August for Pakistani authorities to intervene and secure their release. The families say the limited communication has made it increasingly difficult for them to establish the crew’s current condition.

Government efforts

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting on August 13 to review efforts for the release of the Pakistani sailors. The Foreign Office said officials were directed to enhance coordination with Somali authorities and international partners.

The Foreign Office has maintained that Pakistan is closely monitoring the situation and pursuing diplomatic and international channels for the sailors’ safe return.

It said that Pakistan’s embassy in Djibouti was maintaining close liaison with Somali authorities and international stakeholders, with the safety and well-being of Pakistani nationals and their early repatriation identified as the government’s priorities.

The families, however, say they have been waiting for more than four months without a clear resolution and want the government to intensify efforts to secure their relatives’ release.

For the families, the immediate demand remains the same: confirmation of the sailors’ safety, regular information about their condition and concrete measures to bring them home safely.