The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has confirmed the fatalities of at least seven Pakistanis in a boat capsize event near Libya.
According to the FIA, seven of the deceased were identified based on their passports, with six from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram area and one from Bajaur.
Efforts underway in Libya
The Pakistan Embassy in Tripoli, according to the ministry, has despatched a team to Zawiya Hospital to help local authorities in identifying the deceased.
The government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has issued a stern warning to traffickers and officials who aid them in this barbaric conduct.
The latest incident adds to the list of migrant boat tragedies resulting in the loss of precious lives, with dozens of Pakistanis drowning in multiple incidents in recent months.
This latest development results from a boat carrying eighty people capsizing in Morocco last month. Only 22 survivors were left after allegedly African people traffickers killed almost 40 Pakistanis aboard the boat. At least thirteen identities of Pakistanis have been verified.
Near Greece, a fishing vessel headed for Italy sank in June 2023 carrying at least 800 passengers. With up to 300 Pakistani victims claimed, the boat tragedy was among the worst in the Mediterranean Sea.
The pertinent Tripoli officials are reachable at 030521858 (WhatsApp), +2189138705 (cellphone), and +218 91-64254 (WhatsApp).
