Somali pirates have demanded $3 million for the release of 10 Pakistani sailors held hostage since April following the hijacking of the MT Honour 25 off Somalia’s Puntland coast.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Somali Report) — Somali pirates have demanded a $3 million ransom for the release of 10 Pakistani sailors held hostage since April after an armed hijacking off the coast of Somalia, Pakistan’s parliamentary affairs minister said.
Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told Pakistan’s National Assembly that negotiations to secure the sailors’ release had so far made little progress and that no ransom had been paid.
The 10 Pakistanis are among the crew of the MT Honour 25, a Palau-flagged oil tanker seized by armed Somali pirates off the coast of Somalia’s Puntland region.
The vessel was carrying a multinational crew when it was attacked. Seven Indonesian nationals, including the ship’s captain, as well as one Indian and one Sri Lankan citizen, are also being held, according to the minister.
Chaudhry was responding to a question from lawmakers seeking an update on the condition of the Pakistani nationals and the government’s efforts to secure their release.
He said the pirates had demanded $3 million for the release of the Pakistani sailors, but that no payment had been made while discussions continued.
The minister also cautioned against paying a ransom, warning that doing so could have wider consequences given what he described as the limited capacity of the Somali government to control areas where pirate groups operate.
The case has renewed concerns over the threat posed by Somali piracy after years in which attacks on commercial shipping had fallen sharply.
Somalia’s piracy problem became a major international security concern in the late 2000s and early 2010s, with armed groups seizing commercial vessels and demanding large ransoms for their crews and cargoes.
International naval patrols, improved security measures aboard ships and the prosecution of suspected pirates contributed to a dramatic decline in successful attacks.
But piracy has not disappeared entirely, with occasional hijackings and hostage-taking incidents raising concerns that criminal networks could exploit instability along Somalia’s long coastline.
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The MT Honour 25 case is particularly significant because of the number of crew members being held and the involvement of several nationalities.
Pakistan has been seeking the release of its citizens through diplomatic and other channels, while negotiations involving the pirates remain ongoing.
Chaudhry did not provide details on the identity of the group holding the sailors or explain how the ransom demand had been communicated.
He also did not disclose whether the hostages had been moved since the vessel was seized or provide details about their current condition.
The minister’s comments come as Somalia continues efforts to strengthen maritime security and assert greater control over its coastal waters.
Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in northeastern Somalia, has historically been one of the main areas associated with Somali piracy, although attacks have also occurred elsewhere along the country’s coast.
The resurgence of piracy concerns comes at a time when Somalia is already facing significant security challenges, including an Islamist insurgency and political tensions between the federal government and regional authorities.
For the families of the sailors, however, the focus remains on securing their safe return.
With negotiations apparently stalled and the pirates demanding millions of dollars, the fate of the 19 foreign crew members remains uncertain.
Pakistani authorities have not indicated how long they expect negotiations to continue or whether they are considering alternative measures to secure the hostages’ release.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
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