Nehal Hashmi says that contact has been made with EU organizations with a view to the release of hostages
Nehal Hashmi. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
Sindh Governor Nehal Hashmi said on Monday that 11 Pakistani crew members held hostage by Somali pirates have not been released and authorities have been asked to pursue efforts to secure their release.
Initial details indicate that the pirates hijacked an oil tanker named ‘Owner 25’ in the Gulf of Aden near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait off the coast of Somalia on Tuesday. The ship’s crew included its captain, an Indonesian national, along with 11 Pakistanis.
Addressing a press conference at the Governor’s House in Karachi, Hashmi said the affected families had visited the office seeking help. Regarding the hostages, Hashmi stated that “they are not abandoned; the government stands with them,” and assured that the families would be supported during this time.
Furthermore, the governor said that he had held discussions with the Minister of Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry as well as the Foreign Secretary and that Pakistan’s embassy was in “full contact” with relevant parties. Hashmi added that the authorities had been given a mandate to continue efforts to release the hostages and that contact had also been made with EU organizations regarding the matter.
“We are not silent on this matter, which is being worked on,” he assured.
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Meanwhile, family members of the hostages told reporters that they last spoke to their loved ones on Friday and that they were facing severe distress. “They were in dire straits and didn’t even have food,” said a relative. The families also claimed that the jailers were armed. “We came to the governor’s house and they have given us hope,” they said.
The families said they are living in need and have called on authorities to ensure the safe return of the hostages. “We will not have peace until our loved ones return home,” they added.
Minister Chaudhry on Friday requested a detailed report on the hijacking, directing the relevant authorities to coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Pakistan Navy for the recovery of the hostages. There is so far no information about the name or nationality of the owner or the shipping company that operates the hijacked tanker. Reports from official sources also suggest that the State Department is cooperating with the Somali government for the safe release of the Pakistani crew.
Tensions in the Persian Gulf have risen since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, 2026. Since then, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, further exacerbating tensions in the Gulf region. Shipping companies in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait now regularly face threats not only from Somali pirates but also from Yemen’s Houthi movement.
