KARACHI: Pakistan Navy PNS Zulfiqar carrying 22 crew members of the Merchant Vessel (MV) Suez, including four Pakistanis, reached Karachi dockyard on Thursday.
Navy officials, human rights activist Ansar Burney, Governor Sindh Ishratul Ibad Khan and the daughter of Captain Wasi were on site to greet the sailors on their arrival.
Governor Sindh and Captain Wasi thanked Pakistan Navy, Ansar Burney and the media.
Khan said that Pakistan as a nation has sent out a message of love to India and wish India would reciprocate.
Indian crew member MK Sharma appreciated that Pakistan secured the release of 22 crew members irrespective of their nationality.
“I was born and brought up in India but this is my new life and I will always be thankful to Pakistan for this,” Sharma said.
The sailors will be given a grand reception at the dockyard from where they will be taken to the Governor House. The foreigners will return to their countries after the ceremony.
Two representatives from Egypt, one from India and one from Sri Lanka have reached Pakistan to escort their citizens back home.
The six Indian sailors will fly to Lahore tonight and cross over to India when Wagah border opens tomorrow morning (Friday).
The crew members of MV Suez, including six Indians, 11 Egyptians and one Sri Lankan, were shifted to PNS Zulfiqar after the ship began sinking due to technical problems and strong winds. The MV Suez, owned by an Egyptian company, had been first boarded by Somali pirates in August last year. Its crew was finally released on June 14, after a payment of $2.1 million.
