On Tuesday, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) confirmed that at least 16 Pakistanis died in a boat capsizing incident near Libya.
Identification through passports revealed six victims from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district and one from Bajaur, the FIA noted.
This confirmation followed a report by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) that a vessel carrying about 65 passengers capsized near Marsa Dela port, northwest of Zawiya City, Libya. In response, the ministry explained that the Pakistan Embassy in Tripoli sent a team to Zawiya Hospital to assist local authorities in identifying the deceased.
Additionally, the Crisis Management Unit (CMU) was activated to oversee the situation, with the public advised to use the 051-9207887 helpline for information.
For immediate assistance, contact 03052185882 (WhatsApp), +218913870577 (cellphone), or +218 91-6425435 (WhatsApp) in Tripoli.
This tragic event is part of a series of migrant boat disasters that have claimed the lives of numerous Pakistanis in recent months. For instance, in January, over 40 Pakistanis perished when a boat from Mauritania to Spain capsized. The vessel, carrying 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis, launched on January 2; Moroccan authorities rescued 36 people following the accident.
Furthermore, more than 80 Pakistanis drowned near Greece on the night of December 13-14, 2024, in similar incidents.
Driven by socio-economic disparities and the pursuit of a better life abroad, many continue to risk illegal migration, often paying substantial sums to human traffickers.
In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government has intensified actions against smugglers and complicit officials. Following these directives, around 35 FIA officials were dismissed, and a leadership change was enacted after the dismissal of the former director general, Ahmad Ishaq Jahangir, due to slow investigation progress and rampant illegal migration.
