The Pakistani hostages under captivity of Somali pirates were released on Monday after persistent negotiations that lasted for months.
The captives were released after ransom money of $2.1 million was paid to the pirates.
The amount was collected in collaboration with the Ansar Burney Trust, the Sindh government, and the shipping company that owned the hijacked ship.
In an operation monitored from the Suez Canal, a chartered plane was sent to Somalia to pick up the released captives.
Along with the Pakistanis, the captives included Indians, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans and Egyptians.
Talking to the media at the Governor House on Monday, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad announced that the captives’ release has been finalised and the Pakistanis would be back within a few days.
“I congratulate Pakistan on this occasion,” he said, adding that this ordeal had become a national issue for Pakistan.
Express 24/7 correspondent Shaheryar Mirza reported that the Sindh government is expecting teh relased captives to return to Pakistan in the next three days.
Mirza reported that during the abduction, the Somali pirates had physically harmed the captives to send a message that their threat was serious.
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