Pakistan to Give Rs 12.5 Million to Each Family of 3 Crew Killed Off Somalia
PM Shehbaz Sharif has announced Rs 12.5 million, a house and free schooling for each family of the 3 Pakistani crew killed off Somalia. See when bodies return.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced Rs 12.5 million for each family of the three Pakistani crew members killed off the coast of Somalia. Each family will also get a house, and the children will get free education and healthcare. He made the announcement on Friday, 2 October 2026.
The three men died during an operation to recover the hijacked tanker MT Honour 25. The Foreign Office named them on 1 October as Rafi Ullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari. Three more Pakistanis were injured and are being treated in Somalia.
Each family gets Rs 12.5 million, a house and free schooling
The Prime Minister announced Rs 12.5 million for each of the three families on 2 October 2026. Each family will also get a house. The children of the dead men will get free education and free healthcare, according to Radio Pakistan's report of the announcement.
He made the announcement in a phone call with Azhan Kashif, the son of Syed Kashif Umer. He told the family that the bereaved would not be left alone. Across three families, the cash alone comes to Rs 37.5 million, by our own sum.
| Support announced | For whom | Status on 3 October |
|---|---|---|
| Rs 12.5 million in cash | Each of the three families | Announced, no payment date given |
| A house | Each of the three families | Announced, no details given |
| Free education | Children of the three men | Announced |
| Free healthcare | Children of the three men | Announced |
| Return of the bodies | All three men | Under way through the Foreign Office |
These are announcements. We have not seen a notification or a payment schedule yet. Payment dates, the type of house and the way families claim the support have not been made public.
Three Pakistanis died in the MT Honour 25 recovery operation
Five crew members died when authorities moved to recover the hijacked tanker MT Honour 25 off Somalia. Three were Pakistani. Four crew members were injured, and three of them are Pakistani. The Foreign Office announced this at its weekly briefing on 1 October 2026.
The spokesperson said the crew had been held captive since 11 April, nearly six months. The operation was meant to free the hostages from several countries, including Pakistan. Three Pakistanis and two other nationals lost their lives in it.
The surviving crew were first brought ashore at Bandar Beyla. They were then moved to Garowe, where the injured are being treated. The Foreign Office said the government is in close contact with Somali authorities.
This is the second time in two months that Pakistani seafarers have died abroad. In August, three Pakistani sailors were killed in a Red Sea attack on their ship.
The bodies will come home through Addis Ababa
The bodies will be flown to Pakistan from Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines, which has a direct flight to Pakistan. The Foreign Office said the timing depends on local procedures in Somalia and on the medical condition of the injured crew.
At the 1 October briefing, the spokesperson said Pakistan's Ambassador to Djibouti was on the way to Addis Ababa. The Deputy Head of Mission was already in Garowe. Pakistani officials were in touch with the injured, and the bodies were in their care.
- Pakistani diplomats take charge of the bodies in Garowe, Somalia.
- Local procedures in Somalia are completed.
- The bodies move to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.
- Ethiopian Airlines flies them directly to Pakistan.
- The families receive the bodies at home.
On 2 October, the Prime Minister told the Foreign Office and the embassy to speed this up. No arrival date had been announced by early 3 October. For other families facing the same task, the process for bringing a body home to Pakistan from abroad is set out separately.
The government says it will look after the injured and the survivors
The Prime Minister ordered the best possible treatment for the injured Pakistanis. He also told officials to make sure the remaining Pakistani crew return safely. The Foreign Office and other bodies must stay in direct contact with all three families.
Three Pakistanis are among the four injured. Officials have not named them or given details of their condition. The number of Pakistanis among the uninjured crew has not been given either.
Families of other Pakistanis working abroad often ask what help exists when a worker dies. The OPF financial aid for an overseas worker's death is a separate scheme with its own rules. Officials have not said whether these crew families qualify for it. The Prime Minister's package does not depend on it.
What families of seafarers can do now
Families of Pakistani crew on ships abroad should keep their own contact details with the Foreign Office up to date. The Foreign Office said it is staying in direct contact with the three bereaved families. Others with relatives at sea can reach the ministry through its official channels.
Seafarers and their families can also keep a few papers ready. These include the CNIC of the next of kin, the seafarer's passport copy and the employment contract. Having them to hand saves time if any claim is needed later.
Unpaid salary or death compensation owed by a foreign employer is a separate matter. Families can recover unpaid salary or death compensation from abroad through a free complaint process.
Common questions
How much will each family get?
Rs 12.5 million each, plus a house. The children will also get free education and healthcare. The Prime Minister announced this on 2 October 2026.
Who were the Pakistanis killed off Somalia?
The Foreign Office named them as Rafi Ullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari. They were crew on the tanker MT Honour 25.
When will the bodies reach Pakistan?
No date has been given. The Foreign Office said they will be flown from Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines once local procedures are complete.
How long had the crew been held?
Since 11 April 2026, the Foreign Office said. That is nearly six months.
Has the money been paid yet?
Not as far as we know. The package was announced on 2 October, and no payment date or notification had been published by early 3 October.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 3 October 2026, about 2am PKT. We read the Foreign Office's transcript of the 1 October press briefing, which gives the names, the numbers killed and injured, the 11 April date and the route home through Addis Ababa. We read Radio Pakistan's report of 2 October on the Prime Minister's package. We could not find the announcement on the Prime Minister's Office website, so the package rests on the state broadcaster's report. The Rs 37.5 million total is our own sum.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
