Somali pirates release 22 hostages including four Pakistanis

At least four Pakistani hostages among other 22 kept in captivity of Somali pirates were released on Monday after payment of huge ransom and negotiations that lasted for nine months.

Talking to journalists at the Governor’s House, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan and Human Rights advocate Ansar Burney announced that the captives’ release had been finalised and the Pakistanis would be back within a few days.

The Sindh governor said the captives were released after payment of $2.1 million to them and the amount was sent to pirates by a chartered plane after that they released the ship.

The operation was monitored from the Suez Canal, a chartered plane was sent to Somalia to pick up the released captives.

Ansar Burney said the amount was collected in collaboration with the Ansar Burney Trust, the Sindh government and the shipping company that owned the hijacked ship.