Three Stranded Pakistanis to Return Home from Somalia via Ethiopia

KARACHI: Three Pakistani nationals who remained stranded at the Port of Bosaso in northeastern Somalia have finalized their travel arrangements and are scheduled to land in Karachi on Wednesday via Ethiopia, ending weeks of distress for their waiting families. Authorities confirmed that air tickets have been secured for all three individuals—identified as Hussein Yousuf, Imran Ali, and Muhammad Yasin—clearing the final administrative hurdles required for their repatriation.

Diplomatic sources and logistics coordinators involved in the mission stated that Hussein Yousuf and Imran Ali, alongside Muhammad Yasin, were facilitated through regional diplomatic channels after facing prolonged delays at the Somali seaport. The trio will transit through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, before boarding a direct commercial flight to Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. Consular teams coordinated with maritime authorities to issue emergency documentation and ensure the men safely departed Somali territory.

The successful repatriation underscores the persistent vulnerabilities faced by Pakistani laborers, seafarers, and commercial crew members navigating volatile maritime corridors and commercial shipping operations in the Horn of Africa. Foreign ministry officials highlighted that close coordination between regional missions and maritime logistics handlers proved vital in resolving the men’s travel documentation and addressing outstanding contractual clearance disputes that had temporarily barred them from leaving the port city.

Upon arrival in Karachi on Wednesday, the returnees will undergo mandatory health screenings and standard immigration verification before reuniting with their respective families. Federal authorities noted that an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding their deployment and subsequent abandonment in Somalia will be reviewed to hold recruiting agents accountable and prevent similar incidents involving Pakistani workers overseas.