35 Additional Pakistanis Confirmed Dead in Greece Boat Tragedy
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Islamabad, Dec 19 (NationPress) At least 40 Pakistani nationals have tragically lost their lives in the boat capsizing incident off the coast of Greece, as confirmed by officials on Thursday.
Initially, it was reported that the number of deceased Pakistanis - who drowned while attempting to illegally enter Europe - was just five.
However, with the conclusion of the rescue operations by Greek authorities on Wednesday, it has now been confirmed that 35 Pakistanis are officially declared deceased.
These individuals were reportedly being trafficked illegally to Europe via Libya as part of a human smuggling operation.
Details indicate that the majority of the deceased were from Punjab province and were predominantly minors or teenagers. Many hailed from districts such as Sialkot, Gujrat, Mandi Bahaudin, and Narowal.
This incident has led the Pakistani government to establish a special task force under the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to take decisive action against human traffickers operating within the country.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that these Pakistanis were issued visas for Libya, from where they were transported on boats en route to Greece.
To date, at least six cases have been filed against individuals allegedly involved in the illegal transportation of the deceased, with four suspects currently in custody.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed authorities to act swiftly against human traffickers, noting that this recent boat capsizing incident is not an isolated case.
Last year, a similar tragedy claimed the lives of at least 262 Pakistani nationals near Greece while they attempted to enter Europe illegally.
"The recurrence of such tragedies stems from the slow action taken against those complicit in these crimes," remarked Shehbaz during a meeting with cabinet members regarding human trafficking in Pakistan.
Additionally, it has been decided that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) will implement the Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) swiftly to ensure that travelers are adequately monitored and scrutinized.
Concerns have been raised about how several minors aged 12-14 managed to obtain visas for Libya and bypass immigration checks at Pakistani airports. This has sparked serious concerns regarding the potential involvement of government officials and institutions in the human trafficking network.
Activists are urging the Pakistani government to collaborate with international organizations to develop a robust mechanism to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
