Islamabad urges Somalia to free Pakistani sailors held off Somali coast

Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, spoke by phone on Tuesday with Somali Foreign Minister Abdisaalam Abdi Ali about ongoing efforts to release Pakistani hostages on board the tanker MT Honour 25, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan. A spokesperson for Ishaq Dar said in a statement that Pakistan has been actively communicating with Somali authorities since the ship was hijacked off Somalia’s coast in April. Dar expressed Pakistan’s deep concern over the situation and stressed the need to ensure the hostages’ safety and secure their swift release and safe return. Somali Foreign Minister Abdisaalam Abdi Ali reassured him that his government is making serious, ongoing efforts to free the hostages as soon as possible. […]