Libya boat tragedy: Bodies of six victims reach Peshawar

By Javed Aziz Khan
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February 28, 2025
A representational image provided by the Hellenic Coast Guard shows migrants onboard a boat during a rescue operation, before their boat capsized on the open sea off Greece, June 14, 2023. — Reuters

PESHAWAR: The bodies of six persons from Kurram district, who were killed in the recent Libya boat tragedy, were repatriated to the provincial capital on Thursday.Officials said their remains would now be transported to their native villages for final rites.

The victims whose bodies were shifted to Peshawar were identified as Musawar Hussain, Shoaib Ali, Abid Hussain, Shoaib Hussain and Musaib Hussain, all residents of Kurram district.They were among many other Pakistanis who had lost their lives in yet another boat accident in Libya while trying to illegally reach Europe.

The Foreign Office had established a crisis management cell at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the accident.There are reports that 73 people were onboard out of which over 60 were Pakistanis, including many from KP. Efforts were also being made for the return of 37 survivors of the tragedy.

A large number of Pakistanis pay millions to human traffickers to reach Europe and other developed countries illegally via sea.In the recent months, a large number of Pakistanis were among those who died in boat accidents in the mid sea.

The Federal Investigation Agency and other concerned departments have been directed to go after the human trafficking rings involved in illegally human smuggling via dangerous routes. However, the practice is still going on in many parts of the country.Several lives are lost via these routes while many of the victims were also made hostages by the traffickers to get more money from their families.