On Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) released a list of 21 Pakistani nationals who survived a maritime disaster near Dakhla, Morocco. The ministry confirmed these identities based on verified information.
The survivors, including Muddassir Hussain, Syed Badar Mohy ud din, Imran Iqbal, Shoaib Zafar, Ali Hassan, Syed Mehtab Ul Hassan, Uzair Basharat, Waseem Khalid, Muhammad Khaliq, Abdul Ghaffar, Gul Shameer, Tanveer Ahmed, Syed Muhammad Abbas Kazmi, Ghulam Mustafa, Mohammad Asif, Mujahid Ali, Amir Ali, Mohammad Umar Farooqie, Bilawal Iqbal, Arsalan, and Irfan Ahmad, were part of a tragic incident that occurred on January 16.
A boat carrying them, along with other irregular migrants from Mauritania to Spain, capsized, resulting in the death of 50 migrants, including 44 Pakistanis.
A report from the Pakistani Embassy states that 36 Pakistanis have been rescued, while others are still missing and presumed dead.
The ill-fated journey began on January 2 from Mauritania with 86 migrants on board, including 66 Pakistanis. Moroccan authorities managed to rescue 36 people following the accident.
This incident follows closely another maritime tragedy where over 80 Pakistanis drowned after boats capsized near Greece on the night of December 13-14, 2024. The Greek tragedy led to a strong governmental response, prompting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to direct strict actions against human smugglers.
Following the directive, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has made significant strides in apprehending those involved in human smuggling. An FIA spokesperson confirmed the arrest of 185 traffickers and agents over the past month. This includes 38 of the most wanted traffickers from the FIA’s Red Book and 16 agents associated with the 2024 Greek boat tragedy.
FIA Director General Ahmad Ishaq Jahangir also dismissed 35 officials for aiding human smuggling and failing their duties.
The FIA report further detailed that between May and September 2024, 20 individuals travelled from Karachi, Lahore, and Faisalabad airports to Senegal and Saudi Arabia. Those travelling from Faisalabad to Senegal mostly held visitors’ visas, with one on a temporary resident visa, while passengers to Saudi Arabia from Lahore travelled on Umrah visas.
The Foreign Office has mobilized immediate assistance for the survivors through the diplomatic mission in Rabat, Morocco. The embassy provides essential supplies like food, water, medicine, and clothing, while local authorities in Dakhla offer shelter and medical care. The consular team in Dakhla oversees relief operations and coordinates with local officials, ensuring comprehensive support and finalizing repatriation procedures for the affected Pakistanis.
