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MUMBAI: It has been two months since the Indian Navy rescued five Pakistani crew members of an Iranian fishing trawler from the clutches of Somalian pirates but they are not sure if they would ever be able to return home. The five are caught between the diplomatic channels of the neighbouring countries, with the Mumbai police saying they had asked the Pakistani embassy to take its nationals back and the latter claiming they had not got the permission from the Indian ministry to come to Mumbai and meet the five.
"We have sent letters to the Pakistani embassy but they have not even come to us to enquire about their nationals. Over the phone they said they were verifying the various documents and would claim their nationals soon," said the police , adding that the Pakistani embassy had not even shelled out a single penny for the expenses being incurred on the sailors. "We are in touch with Pakistani embassy office bearer Altaf who has promised to reimburse all the bills for food and other amenities that we are giving to the five," said inspector M G Tope. The five have been identified as Aurangzeb Nabi Bakhsh Balloch(24), his younger brother Sajjad Ali Balloch (19), Lal Bakhsh Murid Khan (20), Farhad Aalam Khan (24) and Mohammed Umair (18).
Pakistani officials seem to be keen to help their countrymen but apparently, they are not getting the permission. "The embassy wants to take the sailors back but the Indian home affairs department is not allowing me to go out of Delhi range. We have not been given permission to meet them," a Pakistani embassy official told TOI. "We have written to the MHA but they are not responding . The embassy officials are also in touch with the hostages and preparing travel papers."
The ordeal for the five Pakistanis , employed on the fishing trawler, Al-Murtuza , started in December last year when Somalian pirates hijacked their vessel and imprisoned all 18 crew members, six Pakistanis and 12 Iranians. On March 12, the Indian Navy finally rescued the ship from the pirates whom they caught 290 nautical miles from Lakshadweep.
During that time, the navy rounded up 106 pirates in several raids and also rescued 70 hostages , belonging to Thailand, Philippines, Bangladesh, Iran, Turkey, Myanmar and Pakistan . Subsequently, the other countries claimed their nationals back, but Pakistan is yet to take home their five rescued hostages , who are now at the Yellow Gate police station.
The Balloch brothers are from Karachi and their three friends are from Sindh in Pakistan . "On fishing trawlers, I earn Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 (Pakistan currency) a month. My brother worked in a tailor's shop and wanted to work with me. It was his first trip," Balloch told TOI.
Tope said through the ministry of home affairs they told the Pakistani embassy on May 7 that they would take the hostages to New Delhi where their nationality could be verified. "However, the officials did not turn up," he said. A Pakistani embassy official, however, claimed they were not told that the hostages would be produced before a panel for verification .
The five were again brought back to Mumbai and sent to the Yellow Gate police station . Dreaming of home, all they do is brood, sitting outside the police station, or talk about their families. Son of a farmer, Farhad Khan, said, "Sahab, I want to go home. I have four brothers . I spoke to them over phone and even they are crying for me. Do something for us so that we could go back."
Even the policemen are at a loss and trying their best to help them. The cops made arrangements for them to call home and also pay for their clothes and other amenities. A local restaurant takes care of their meals. "They are not criminals, they are hostages. We just want that the Pakistani embassy to come and take its men back," added Tope.
No one to take Pak sailors home - The Times of India
"We have sent letters to the Pakistani embassy but they have not even come to us to enquire about their nationals. Over the phone they said they were verifying the various documents and would claim their nationals soon," said the police , adding that the Pakistani embassy had not even shelled out a single penny for the expenses being incurred on the sailors. "We are in touch with Pakistani embassy office bearer Altaf who has promised to reimburse all the bills for food and other amenities that we are giving to the five," said inspector M G Tope. The five have been identified as Aurangzeb Nabi Bakhsh Balloch(24), his younger brother Sajjad Ali Balloch (19), Lal Bakhsh Murid Khan (20), Farhad Aalam Khan (24) and Mohammed Umair (18).
Pakistani officials seem to be keen to help their countrymen but apparently, they are not getting the permission. "The embassy wants to take the sailors back but the Indian home affairs department is not allowing me to go out of Delhi range. We have not been given permission to meet them," a Pakistani embassy official told TOI. "We have written to the MHA but they are not responding . The embassy officials are also in touch with the hostages and preparing travel papers."
The ordeal for the five Pakistanis , employed on the fishing trawler, Al-Murtuza , started in December last year when Somalian pirates hijacked their vessel and imprisoned all 18 crew members, six Pakistanis and 12 Iranians. On March 12, the Indian Navy finally rescued the ship from the pirates whom they caught 290 nautical miles from Lakshadweep.
During that time, the navy rounded up 106 pirates in several raids and also rescued 70 hostages , belonging to Thailand, Philippines, Bangladesh, Iran, Turkey, Myanmar and Pakistan . Subsequently, the other countries claimed their nationals back, but Pakistan is yet to take home their five rescued hostages , who are now at the Yellow Gate police station.
The Balloch brothers are from Karachi and their three friends are from Sindh in Pakistan . "On fishing trawlers, I earn Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 (Pakistan currency) a month. My brother worked in a tailor's shop and wanted to work with me. It was his first trip," Balloch told TOI.
Tope said through the ministry of home affairs they told the Pakistani embassy on May 7 that they would take the hostages to New Delhi where their nationality could be verified. "However, the officials did not turn up," he said. A Pakistani embassy official, however, claimed they were not told that the hostages would be produced before a panel for verification .
The five were again brought back to Mumbai and sent to the Yellow Gate police station . Dreaming of home, all they do is brood, sitting outside the police station, or talk about their families. Son of a farmer, Farhad Khan, said, "Sahab, I want to go home. I have four brothers . I spoke to them over phone and even they are crying for me. Do something for us so that we could go back."
Even the policemen are at a loss and trying their best to help them. The cops made arrangements for them to call home and also pay for their clothes and other amenities. A local restaurant takes care of their meals. "They are not criminals, they are hostages. We just want that the Pakistani embassy to come and take its men back," added Tope.
No one to take Pak sailors home - The Times of India
