Somalia hostage sailors reach Karachi today; PM announces Rs12.5m for families of three killed
Somalia hostage sailors reach Karachi today; PM announces Rs12.5m for families of three killed
Four Pakistanis rescued from the hijacked tanker MT Honour 25 will reach Karachi today, bringing the Somalia hostage sailors saga to a turning point more than five months after pirates seized their vessel off the coast of Puntland. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday that the men had been retrieved with the help of the foreign ministry and Pakistan’s embassy in Djibouti.
On Friday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also unveiled a support package for the families of the three Pakistani crew members killed: Rs12.5 million per household, free education and healthcare for their children, and one house per family.
Somalia hostage sailors: who is coming home
The four sailors due in Karachi today are Yasir Khan, Aqeel Khan, Amin bin Shams and Usman Ghani, Dar said in a post on X, adding that arrangements were being expedited to complete the legal and administrative formalities for their return.
“The mortal remains of the three Pakistani crew members who tragically lost their lives are being repatriated to Pakistan,” Dar wrote, extending condolences to the bereaved families.
Rs12.5 million, houses and free education for victims’ families
The Prime Minister’s Office said PM Shehbaz had announced Rs12.5 million per household for the families of the three Pakistanis killed: Rafi Ullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari. The package also covers free education and healthcare for their children, plus one house per family. The prime minister telephoned the son of Syed Kashif Umer to offer condolences.
“The prime minister said that the bereaved families will not be left alone in this difficult time, and the government will provide all possible support and assistance,” the PMO said. He assured the family that the bodies of the three martyred Pakistanis would be brought back to Pakistan as soon as possible, telling them that “we share equally in your grief”.
The premier directed the Foreign Ministry and other institutions to stay in direct contact with the families, and ordered the Foreign Office and the Pakistan embassy to expedite the transfer of the bodies in coordination with the Somali authorities. He also instructed that the injured Pakistanis receive the best medical care and the remaining crew members return home safely.
Three sailors still aboard the tanker
Three other Pakistani crew members, Imran Ali, Yasin Muhammad and Syed Yousuf Hussain, remain aboard the vessel along with the captain, Dar said.
“We are actively coordinating with our friendly countries to facilitate their safe extraction and earliest possible return to Pakistan,” he said.
A five-month ordeal at sea
The Palau-flagged MT Honour 25 was seized by pirates on April 21, about 30 nautical miles off Puntland in northeastern Somalia, with 17 crew members aboard, including ten Pakistanis. The crew spent more than five months in captivity while the pirates demanded ransom, starting at $3 million and later lowering it to $1 million.
Puntland’s information ministry said its forces had freed the tanker and captured 16 pirates. According to Puntland authorities, the pirates killed five crew members before the operation began: three Pakistanis, one sailor from Myanmar and one from India. Four others were injured.
The families of the Pakistani crew campaigned for months for their release, holding protests in Karachi and appealing to the government and the United Nations for help.
The rescue comes amid renewed concern over piracy off Somalia, where maritime bodies have reported the highest number of attacks in more than a decade this year.
When will the four rescued sailors reach Karachi?
The four men, Yasir Khan, Aqeel Khan, Amin bin Shams and Usman Ghani, are due to arrive in Karachi on Saturday, October 3, according to Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.
What did the prime minister announce for the victims’ families?
Rs12.5 million per household, free education and healthcare for their children, and one house per family, for the kin of Rafi Ullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari.
Are all the Pakistani crew members now safe?
Not yet. Three Pakistanis, Imran Ali, Yasin Muhammad and Syed Yousuf Hussain, remain aboard the tanker with the captain. Dar said Pakistan was coordinating with friendly countries to bring them home at the earliest.
