Webdesk: Families of 10 Pakistani sailors held by Somali pirates for more than four months staged an overnight protest outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs liaison office on Karachi’s Shahrah e Faisal, demanding government action to secure their release.
The sailors are among the 17 crew members of the Palau flagged oil tanker MT Honour 25, which was seized by armed pirates off Somalia’s Puntland region on April 21. The crew also includes nationals from Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka.
The families have repeatedly protested in Karachi, saying they have received limited information about the sailors’ condition and have struggled to establish direct contact with them. Some relatives have warned that they could begin a hunger strike if they do not receive clearer information and evidence of progress towards securing the sailors’ release.
The latest protest continued through the night before police moved to disperse the demonstrators on Monday morning. Reports differed over the number detained, with some citing seven people and others reporting 11. Police confirmed that those taken into custody were later released. A senior police official told Dawn that the protesters were dispersed without force and said authorities had asked them to move the demonstration to a designated location.
The detention added to the families’ frustration as they continue to seek information about negotiations. Legal representatives for the families said there had been recent developments in efforts to secure the crew’s release, although details of the negotiations have not been made public.
Pakistan has said it is pursuing diplomatic and humanitarian channels to secure the sailors’ return. Foreign Minister (FM) Ishaq Dar has also raised the matter with the International Maritime Organization as Islamabad seeks international assistance.
The case highlights the continuing risks faced by seafarers in waters around the Horn of Africa. For the families, however, the wider piracy crisis remains secondary to one immediate demand: confirmation that their loved ones are safe and a credible path to bringing them home.
