KARACHI - Emotional scenes were witnessed when 22 hostages of MV Suez reached PNS Zulfiqar at Karachi port after six days of journey on Saturday. Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Raza Abbas, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Ansar Burney and family members of the Pakistani crew welcomed the victims released after the detention of some 10 month. The crew included four Pakistanis, six Indians, 11 Egyptians, and one Sri Lankan who were kidnapped by Somali pirates. Laila Wasi, a ten-year old daughter of Captain Wasi, burst into tears with joy on seeing her father. The promise made by Ishratul Ibad to bring her father back home was fulfilled, she commented. Captain Wasi thanked the media for its role in bringing the crew back home. He also thanked the governor, Ansar Burney, Ahmed Chinoy, the naval chief and the captains and crews of the PNS Zulfiqar and Baber. Captain Wasi was among the 22 crew members who were kidnapped by the Somali pirates and held hostage for ten months. They were released after 2.1 million dollars ransom was paid. Ansar Burney thanked Navy Chief Admiral Noman Bashir and ISI Chief General Shuja Pasha for their efforts. An Indian hostage, Sachin, was grateful to the Pakistani government and specially the governor for the role he played in bringing them back and regretted that the Indian government did not pay heed to it. It would open the gates of international harmony between the two countries, he opined. A special reception was arranged at the Governors House in the honour of freed Pakistanis. Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad in his address lauded the role of philanthropists for donating funds for the release of hostages from the Somalia pirates. He thanked Federal Minister Babar Khan Ghori, PPP Senator Faisal Reza Abidi, MQM Provincial Minister Adil Siddiqui and Rauf Siddiqui, Arif Naqvi and others for providing fund for the release of hostages. He also appreciated the role of armed forces chiefs and DG ISI for their overwhelming support for the release of hostages. Ansar Burney and CPLC Chief Ahmed Chinoy also played key role in the release of hostages, he said. He congratulated the entire nation on the release of hostages and presented the bouquets to hostages hailing from Pakistan, India, Egypt and Sri Lanka.