Somali Pirates Contact Families of Kidnapped Pakistani Sailors

Somali pirates holding Pakistani crew members captive have reportedly begun direct communication with the families of the abducted sailors, deepening concern over the fate of ten Pakistanis detained aboard an Indonesia-flagged oil tanker. The development surfaced as relatives continued pressing authorities for urgent action to secure the release of the hostages.

According to the report, the pirates created a WhatsApp group titled “Pakistani Crew Families” and added one relative from each of the ten abducted Pakistani crew members. The group was allegedly made through the captain’s phone, which remained in the pirates’ possession after other crew members’ mobile phones were seized and wiped.

A video shared in the group showed the Pakistani hostages aboard the vessel. The footage reportedly showed the captives with limited supplies, including bottles of dirty water, raising fears about health conditions and survival risks during prolonged captivity. The ship has now been under hijacking for more than 40 days.

One of the hostages, Yasir Khan, appealed in a video message to Pakistan’s prime minister, president and army chief to take practical steps for their recovery. Families say the crew members are facing shortages of food and clean drinking water, while illness is spreading because of unsafe conditions on the stranded vessel.

The wife of crew member Amin said her husband was allowed to speak briefly with his family on Eid. During that conversation, he reportedly told her that the ship’s main engine had broken down and that the tanker was no longer moving. He also said other pirate groups had attempted to take over the vessel, leading to exchanges of gunfire, though the hostages remained unharmed.

The case has drawn attention because it involves Pakistani citizens caught in a maritime security crisis far from home. Piracy off the Somali coast has long posed risks to commercial shipping, but direct contact between captors and families intensifies emotional pressure on relatives and can complicate official rescue or negotiation efforts.

Pakistani authorities maintain that diplomatic efforts are continuing to secure the release of the abducted crew members. However, the hostages and pirates have reportedly challenged those claims in previous videos, demanding faster and more visible intervention from the state.

Qurrat-ul-Ain Advocate of the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust said the organisation had contacted leaders from the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan over the matter. She said both parties assured the welfare group that the issue would be raised in upcoming sessions of the Senate and Parliament.

The incident has become a growing national concern for Pakistan, especially for families of overseas seafarers who depend on international shipping jobs for income. It also highlights the need for stronger consular coordination, maritime security cooperation and crisis response mechanisms for Pakistanis working in vulnerable foreign waters.

The immediate next step will depend on whether Pakistani officials, international maritime partners and humanitarian intermediaries can establish a credible channel for release negotiations. Until then, the families remain in direct contact with the captors while waiting for decisive state action.