ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the foreign ministry to expedite the identification process of Pakistanis aboard a ship carrying 65 passengers that had capsized near the coast of Libya, his office said on Tuesday, vowing stern action against human traffickers.
A boat capsized near the port of Marsa Dela in the northwest of Zawiya city in Libya, the foreign office confirmed on Monday, prompting the Pakistani government to activate a crisis management cell to confirm if any Pakistanis were on board.
The latest tragedy comes weeks after at least 13 Pakistanis died when a boat carrying 86 migrants to Europe capsized near the coast of Morocco on Jan. 16. Each year, thousands of Pakistanis pay traffickers large sums for risky and illegal journeys to Europe, hoping to find work and send money back to their families. Many also take these perilous routes to escape conflicts and religious persecution.
“The prime minister has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to expedite the identification of the deceased Pakistanis and provide all possible assistance to the affected individuals,” the PM’s Office (PMO) said in a press release. “The prime minister has requested a report on the incident from the relevant authorities.”
Calling for strict action against people involved in human trafficking, Sharif said no negligence would be tolerated in this regard. He assured that the government was undertaking comprehensive measures to combat the crime.
Sharif expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and also prayed for the souls of those who had died in the incident.
Pakistan has intensified its crackdown on human trafficking rings facilitating dangerous sea journeys for migrants, as many of its nationals frequently drown on overcrowded boats in the Mediterranean, the world’s deadliest migrant route.
In 2023, 262 Pakistanis were among the hundreds who died when a vessel sank off Greece’s Pylos. Recently, five Pakistanis perished in a shipwreck near Gavdos on Dec. 14.
