Police Obstructed Protest of Families of Hostages Held by Somali Pirates

Police detained several family members protesting outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Karachi to demand the safe recovery of Pakistani sailors held by Somali pirates, before releasing them hours later.

Families of Pakistani crew members held hostage by Somali pirates gathered outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Karachi to stage a demonstration. The protesters demanded urgent government intervention for the safe release of their loved ones.

Law enforcement personnel moved in quickly to clear the area. Police officers:

• Charged at the protestors with batons.
• Dismantled the protest camp.
• Seized protesters’ equipment.
• Detained 11 protesters, including five women.

The families condemned the police action, stating that they were staging a peaceful demonstration for the recovery of their family members and that the arrests and baton charges were completely regrettable.

The Release

Following hours of detention at the Tipu Sultan police station, authorities released all 11 protesters and returned their seized equipment, allowing them to leave the station.

Background of Captivity

The protest stems from an incident on April 21, when Somali pirates hijacked a vessel and kidnapped 19 crew members including 10 Pakistanis.

The captors have since demanded a ransom of $3 million for their release, prompting desperate families to appeal to state authorities for action.