Ransom held back: ‘India jeopardises sailors’ release’

KARACHI: Social activist Ansar Burney has informed The Express Tribune that India’s failure to pay its share of the ransom has jeoparised the release of the four Pakistani sailors and 18 others who are being held hostage by Somali pirates. He said that the owner of the shipping company has arranged $1 million, while Pakistan has collected $600,000. However, Indian parliamentarian KD Singh has not given the $500,000 that was agreed upon. Only eight days are left to the deadline.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2011.