Pakistan, Aug. 24 -- Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has urged the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to help free 10 Pakistani sailors. Somali pirates have held the sailors captive since hijacking their tanker in April. Dar raised the issue during his meeting with IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez in London on Monday. He called for urgent international action to secure their safe return.

The Foreign Office said Dar requested effective institutional support from the IMO. He also thanked Dominguez for supporting efforts to release the Pakistani seafarers. The meeting took place during Dar's four-day official visit to the United Kingdom.

The sailors belonged to the crew of MT Honour 25, a Palau-flagged oil tanker. Armed pirat...