Shocking! Five Indians and others stranded on ship near Pakistan's Karachi since year over unpaid dues

In a shocking incident, at least nine members of a cargo ship crew, that includes five Indians have been stranded on their vessel outside Pakistan's Karachi port for over a year. They are reportedly kept as they have not yet paid their dues totalling around USD 300,000.

Other than Indians, the crew includes two Myanmar people, four Pakistani and one each from Sudan and Kenya.

"We have been lucky because we can embark the ship and come and go as we please as we are Pakistani nationals," Muhammad Reza, a member of the crew, told news agency PTI.

"Since that time the ship has been here with cargo as the crew members have still not been paid their dues which comes to about USD 300,000," said Mr Reza who is among the Pakistanis who were also on the cargo ship 'MV Mishki'.

"Since that time the ship has been here with cargo as the crew members have still not been paid their dues which comes to about USD 300,000," Mr Reza said. "The problem arose when we reached Karachi port and anchored here and even unloaded half of the cargo. But we did not move on to Somalia because of the payment issues," Mr Reza recalled.

"These nine people including the five Indians are surviving in very poor conditions. Despite the court order the dues have not been cleared as yet and we will be filing a petition again in the court on Monday," said activist Ansar Burney of the Burney Welfare Trust. "I have personally called him several times and sent him messages but he is not responding," Mr Burney said.