The Pakistani government is pursuing diplomatic efforts to secure the release of 10 Pakistani nationals held hostage by Somali pirates [1].
The situation highlights the ongoing risks of maritime piracy in the region and the challenges of negotiating the release of crew members from non-state actors.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said to the National Assembly that the government is pursuing all possible avenues to secure their release [1]. Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry also said that the administration is actively working to free the 10 seamen [2].
The sailors were captured in late April 2026 after pirates seized an oil tanker off the coast of Somalia [3]. Pakistan's diplomatic mission in Djibouti is currently monitoring the case to facilitate the rescue [1, 2].
Reports on the duration of the captivity vary. Some reports indicated the crew had been held for 23 days as of May 13 [3], while other government sources later described the period as over a month [2], or nearly two months [4].
Family members of the hostages have expressed desperation over the conditions on board the vessel. During a protest in Karachi, Ambreen Fatima said, "We have been surviving on rice and drinking dirty tank water" [3].
The government continues to coordinate with international partners and regional authorities to ensure the safe return of the crew members. Officials have not disclosed whether ransom negotiations are part of the "all possible avenues" mentioned by Minister Tarar [1].
“"The government is pursuing all possible avenues to secure their release"”
The seizure of an oil tanker and the prolonged captivity of the crew underscore the persistent threat of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin. Pakistan's reliance on its diplomatic mission in Djibouti indicates a strategy of regional coordination, though the conflicting timelines regarding the hostages' captivity suggest a complex or evolving negotiation process with the captors.
