ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Sunday issued a list of 21 Pakistani nationals identified among the survivors of a maritime incident near Dakhla, Morocco.
The ministry said the survivors were identified based on verified information.
Pakistani nationals Muddassir Hussain, Waseem Khalid, Muhammad Khaliq, Abdul Ghaffar, Gul Shameer, Tanveer Ahmed, Syed Muhammad Abbas Kazmi, Ghulam Mustafa, Syed Badar Mohy ud din, Imran Iqbal, Shoaib Zafar, Ali Hassan, Syed Mehtab Ul Hassan, Uzair Basharat, Mohammad Asif, Mujahid Ali, Amir Ali, Mohammad Umar Farooqie, Bilawal Iqbal, Arsalan and Irfan Ahmad are among those who survived.
The tragic incident took place on January 16 when a boat carrying irregular migrants from the African nation of Mauritania to Spain capsized. Some 50 migrants, including 44 Pakistanis, lost their lives in this mishap.
Although, as many as 36 Pakistani citizens were rescued, the rest still remain missing who, as per a report from the Pakistani Embassy, should be presumed dead.
The boat departed from Mauritania on January 2 with 86 migrants on board. Moroccan authorities reported that 66 of the passengers were Pakistani nationals and noted that it had rescued 36 people after the accident.
The development came against the backdrop of another similar incident where more than 80 Pakistanis drowned after boats carrying them capsized near Greece on the night between December 13 and 14, 2024.
The Greek boat tragedy prompted a strong reaction from the government with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directing the authorities to take strict action against those involved in human smuggling.
Since then, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has carried out mass arrests and operations against the human smuggling mafia and its officials involved in facilitating them.
A total of 185 human traffickers and agents were arrested in the last month, said an FIA spokesperson, adding that 38 most-wanted traffickers, listed in the FIA’s Red Book, were apprehended as well as 16 agents involved in the 2024 Greek boat tragedy, The News reported earlier.
Separately, FIA Director General Ahmad Ishaq Jahangir has dismissed 35 officials for facilitating the human smuggling mafia in illegal migration and failing to uphold their duties.
Meanwhile, according to an FIA report, 20 people travelled to Senegal and Saudi Arabia from Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad airports between May and September 2024.
Out of those who went to the African country from Faisalabad, seven had visitors visas whereas one possessed a temporary resident visa.
Investigation revealed that six people had travelled via Ethiopian Airlines on visit and tourist visas to Senegal from Karachi.
Furthermore, two people from Lahore, who were on Umrah visas, went to Saudi Arabia on September 18.
The FIA report says that nine people hailed from Gujrat of which five were rescued while four perished in the unfortunate incident.
Three Mandi Bahauddin residents survived boat capsizing whereas three others did not make it.
One person hailing from Gujranwala also died while three people from Sheikhupura and one from Sialkot were rescued.
In Sunday’s statement, the Foreign Office said immediate assistance had been mobilised for the affected nationals through the diplomatic mission in Rabat, Morocco.”The embassy has arranged essential provisions including food, water, medicine, and clothing. Local authorities in Dakhla are providing shelter and medical care in response to our diplomatic outreach,” it said.
The embassy’s consular team was currently present in Dakhla to oversee relief operations and coordinate with local authorities, the FO said, adding the government remained in close coordination with relevant authorities in Morocco to ensure comprehensive support for our affected citizens and finalise repatriation procedures.
“We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of overseas Pakistanis and will continue to monitor the situation closely,” it said.
Meanwhile, the inquiry into the tragic Greece boat mishap of 2023 revealed 38 FIA officers, who met with human smugglers, were dismissed from service.
The inquiry report says 12 deputy directors and assistant directors were sent to the Ministry of Interior, and explanatory notices issued to four zonal directors for poor supervision.
A total of 346 human smugglers have been arrested in two Greek boat incidents. After the mishap, a campaign has been launched against human smugglers across the country. Along with the arrest of 182 human smugglers, 20 FIA officers have also been arrested, while departmental proceedings initiated against 30 officers.
The report provided to parliament by the Ministry of Interior states a report on the Greek boat incident was received on June 14, 2023. 75 inquiries were conducted and 197 cases registered in the FIA offices in different zones, including Lahore, Multan, Gujranwala, Islamabad, Faisalabad and Peshawar. A total of 271 human smugglers were named in the FIRs, 164 of them arrested and 194 charged. Four human smugglers have confessed to the crime in five cases. The report says after collecting solid evidence, criminal proceedings were initiated against those FIA officers who were in contact with human smugglers. Thirty-eight FIA officers have been dismissed from service and 12 DDs and ADs charged for poor investigation and prosecution. Explanatory notices have been issued to four zonal directors for poor supervision.
The report says a total of 182 human smugglers have been arrested, including 16 criminals involved in the Greek boat mishap.
Six human smugglers belonging to a notorious gang and 15 mastermind human smugglers have also been arrested. Properties and accounts worth Rs523 million have been seized, while 35 MLA applications have been sent against human smugglers living abroad. Twenty red notices have been issued against the human smugglers, and three more cases sent to Ministry of Defence for action. The report says cases have been filed against four FIA officers, while investigations are underway after the arrest of 20 officers. Departmental proceedings have been initiated against 30 officers, and final show-causes issued to 19.
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