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Pakistan Demands Early Release of 11 Seamen Held Hostage off Somalia
(MENAFN) Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar pressed his Somali counterpart Tuesday for the swift release of eleven Pakistani nationals held captive aboard a hijacked vessel off the Somali coast, as diplomatic efforts to secure their freedom intensified.
In a phone call with Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali, Dar conveyed Pakistan's "grave" concern over the situation and underscored the importance of ensuring the hostages' well-being, their early release, and safe repatriation, according to a statement issued by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.
Ali responded by assuring his counterpart of Somalia's "continued and sincere efforts" to secure the hostages' release at the earliest opportunity. Both ministers committed to maintaining close coordination until the crisis reaches a resolution.
The eleven Pakistani crew members were taken captive when the MT Honour 25 was seized off Somalia's southeastern coastline on April 21 — now nearly two months ago. The remaining crew members aboard the vessel are also still being held. No group has been officially named as responsible for the hijacking, and Pakistan's Foreign Ministry statement stopped short of identifying the perpetrators.
The call also touched on broader regional diplomacy. Ali "commended" Pakistan's "constructive" mediation and diplomatic efforts to bring a negotiated settlement to the ongoing Middle East conflict — an acknowledgment of Islamabad's growing role as a back-channel facilitator in one of the world's most volatile flashpoints.
In a phone call with Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali, Dar conveyed Pakistan's "grave" concern over the situation and underscored the importance of ensuring the hostages' well-being, their early release, and safe repatriation, according to a statement issued by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.
Ali responded by assuring his counterpart of Somalia's "continued and sincere efforts" to secure the hostages' release at the earliest opportunity. Both ministers committed to maintaining close coordination until the crisis reaches a resolution.
The eleven Pakistani crew members were taken captive when the MT Honour 25 was seized off Somalia's southeastern coastline on April 21 — now nearly two months ago. The remaining crew members aboard the vessel are also still being held. No group has been officially named as responsible for the hijacking, and Pakistan's Foreign Ministry statement stopped short of identifying the perpetrators.
The call also touched on broader regional diplomacy. Ali "commended" Pakistan's "constructive" mediation and diplomatic efforts to bring a negotiated settlement to the ongoing Middle East conflict — an acknowledgment of Islamabad's growing role as a back-channel facilitator in one of the world's most volatile flashpoints.
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