PM announces Rs12.5m, free education for families of Pakistanis killed in Somalia hostage situation

May Allah Almighty grant Syed Kashi Umar a high station in paradise and give your family the strength to bear this shock.

The Prime Minister assured that the government will bring the bodies of Syed Kashi Umar and the other two martyred Pakistanis back to Pakistan as soon as possible," the PMO stated.It added that the PM directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and all other relevant institutions to remain in direct contact with the families of Kashi Umar and the other two martyred individuals at every stage."Kashi Umar was one….

"The Prime Minister also instructed that all possible measures be taken to provide the best medical facilities to the injured Pakistanis and to ensure the safe return of the other Pakistani crew members".The oil tanker Honour 25, sailing under the Somali flag from Oman to Somalia, was hijacked by pirates on April 21.

There were 17 crew members aboard, 10 of whom were Pakistani nationals.

The families of the Pakistani hostages had continuously appealed to the government for the safe release of their loved ones.During their captivity, the pirates initially demanded a ransom of $3 million for their release.

The demand was later reduced to $1.9 million and subsequently to $1 million.According to the surviving crew members, the governments of Somalia and the semi-autonomous region of Puntland in northeastern Somalia launched a joint operation to free the hostages from the pirates.

An exchange of fire took place between Somali security forces and the pirates during the operation.Pakistani sailors Hussain Yousuf and Imran Ali, who survived the attack, contacted the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust office in Karachi using the ship captain’s mobile phone and provided details of the incident.The Pakistani crew members said that when the pirates came under pressure and began retreating, they opened indiscriminate fire on the abducted crew members….

Their families had spent months seeking the safe release of their loved ones, staging peaceful protests and repeatedly approaching government authorities.

PM announces Rs12.5m, free education for families of Pakistanis killed in Somalia hostage situation Updated 7 minutes ago.