7 more Pakistanis await rescue from Somali pirates

Less than a week ago, some Pakistani and India sailors of a hijacked ship (SV Suez) were released by Somali pirates on payment of ransom. Pakistani authorities had played a key role in securing their release. However, the families of the crew members of another ship (MV Ambado) hijacked on November 26, 2010 still await their dear ones’ release.

Captain Waseem and 320-year-old Third Captain Rahil Anwar, both from Karachi, are among the seven Pakistanis still in pirates’ custody. Their families have requested the government and Ansar Burney Trust to do something similar for their dear ones as they did for the crew of SV Suez.

The families of the above two sailors say the pirates now do not allow a telephonic contact with them. Rahil had a telephonic talk with his parents last Eid before embarking on the sea travel.

The others on the hijacked ship were Zulfiqar of Karachi, Mujtaba of Masehra and three others. The pirates have started increasing the amount of ransom with the delay, but the families of the hostages are too poor to meet their demands.

Anti-terrorism Court Indicts 7 Over Mumbai Attacks

Pakistan: Anti-terrorism court on Wednesday charged seven suspects in connection with the Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people a year ago.
The men were indicted at an anti-terrorism court in a high security prison in the city of Rawalpindi on the eve of the first anniversary of India’s worst militant attacks, which dramatically soured relations with rival Pakistan. All seven pleaded not guilty to the charges. Among the seven, who were arrested by Pakistan over the November 26-29 siege on India’s financial capital, are alleged mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Hammad Amin, Mazhar Iqbal, Abdul Wajid, Shahid Jamil, Muhammad Jamil and Younus Anjum. ‘All seven of them have been indicted, including Lakhvi. The accused pleaded not guilty as the evidence does not support the charges,’ lawyer Shahbaz Rajput told a foreign news agency by telephone. ‘They have been indicted under the anti-terrorism act and the Pakistani penal code,’ said Rajput, without elaborating.
Court proceedings have taken place behind closed doors with journalists barred from the hearings and defence lawyers leaking only small details. The next hearing is December 5.
On the other hand, the United States has welcomed the indictment.