Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez in London and urged urgent international efforts to secure the safe release of 10 Pakistani sailors held hostage by Somali pirates.
According to the Foreign Office, Dar thanked Dominguez for his support in ongoing efforts to secure the release of the Pakistani seafarers.
The sailors were part of the crew of the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Honour 25, which was hijacked by armed pirates off the coast of Puntland, Somalia, on April 21, 2026.
Four months after the hijacking, negotiations for the hostages’ release have made little progress, while a reported ransom demand of around $3 million remains unresolved. Concerns have also grown over the deteriorating health of the hostages.
Since their capture, the crew members have issued several emotional video and audio appeals, saying they have run out of clean water, food and essential medicines.
The hostages are also caught in an ownership dispute involving the vessel. The ship’s ownership has not been clearly established, while the man initially believed to be its owner was later reported to have been a middleman who recruited the crew.
The tanker’s crew includes 10 Pakistanis, seven Indonesians, one Indian and one Sri Lankan.
During his meeting with Dominguez, Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s longstanding commitment to the IMO and appreciated the organisation’s role in regulating safe, secure and efficient international shipping, the Foreign Office said.
He highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen maritime governance, implement international maritime standards and develop the country’s blue economy.
The two sides also discussed ways to enhance Pakistan-IMO cooperation in maritime safety and security, regulatory reforms and the development of Pakistan’s maritime sector.
Dar arrived in the United Kingdom on Sunday for a four-day official visit. During his stay, he is scheduled to meet UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Minister of State for Pakistan Stephen Doughty and other senior government officials.
He is also expected to hold meetings with British parliamentarians and representatives of the Pakistani diaspora.
The visit follows an agreement reached between Pakistan and the UK in July to strengthen bilateral trade engagement and expand business-to-business cooperation. The two countries also discussed upgrading their existing Trade Dialogue into a more structured economic and trade framework.
