{
  "id": 378735,
  "title": "Pakistani hostages held by Somali pirates issue new distress message seeking govt help",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/pakistani-hostages-held-by-somali-pirates-issue-new-distress-message-378735",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-09T13:31:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn",
    "slug": "dawn",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2021700/pakistani-hostages-held-by-somali-pirates-issue-new-distress-message-seeking-govt-help"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nearly four months after being captured by Somali pirates, a group of over 100 crew members on board the oil tanker MT Honour 25 have issued a new distress call, pleading for assistance from the Pakistani government, it was reported on Sunday. The Palau-flagged vessel, carrying between 17 and 19 personnel, including 10 Pakistanis, was seized off the coast of Puntland, Somalia, on April 21. Despite the passage of over three months since the hijacking, there has been no significant movement in negotiations or the payment of the reported $3 million ransom, with the hostages' health deteriorating rapidly.\n\nIn two video messages broadcast on DawnNewsTV on August 7, the Pakistani hostages were visibly weakened and sickly, with most appearing to lack access to basic necessities such as clean water, food, and medicine. The crew members, led by Yasir Khan, implored the Pakistani government, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry to intervene and secure their release \"before it is too late.\" They also sought support from Jamaat-i-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, who had previously made efforts to help.\n\nAnother Pakistani hostage, Hussain Yousuf, expressed his frustration with the prolonged situation, stating that more than a hundred days had passed with no information about their whereabouts or fate. He urged the Prime Minister, Chief of Defence Forces, and Chief of the Army Staff to take action before \"very bad news\" arrived. Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi expressed deep sorrow over the ongoing ordeal, acknowledging the interministerial process being undertaken to address the issue. However, he emphasized the complexities involved in negotiations, such as the pirates' operational base in an autonomous region of Somalia and the influence of tribal figures within Somali society.\n\nAndrabi highlighted the challenges posed by the pirates' demands and the lack of communication since mid-June, when the last messages were sent. The Pakistani hostages are now under extreme duress, having exhausted their supplies of clean water, food, and medicine. Pakistan has been in constant communication with Somalia's government, authorities, and international organizations, pledging to make all possible efforts to secure the hostages' early release.",
  "summary": "More than 100 days after being taken hostage by Somali pirates, crew members on board MT Honour 25 have released another distress message in which they appealed directly to the Pakistani government for their release, it emerged on Sunday. The Honour 25 — a Palau-flagged oil tanker carrying 17 to 19 crew members, including 10 Pakistanis — was hijacked by armed pirates off the coast of Puntland,…",
  "key_points": [
    "Over 100 crew members on oil tanker MT Honour 25 held by Somali pirates since April 21.",
    "Pakistani hostages, including 10 Pakistanis, request government intervention and release.",
    "Hostages' health deteriorates due to lack of food, water, and medicine."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}