Tragic boat tragedy prompts crackdown on human traffickers in Pakistan
Tragic boat tragedy prompts crackdown on human traffickers in Pakistan
Following the tragic incident off the Greek coast where hundreds of migrants were feared drowned, Pakistani authorities took action by arresting 10 individuals suspected of being human traffickers on Sunday.
Each year, numerous young Pakistanis embark on treacherous journeys in an attempt to illegally enter Europe, driven by the hope of finding a better life.
Local media reported that approximately 300 Pakistanis lost their lives when a dilapidated trawler sank near Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula on Wednesday.
The authorities have detained nine individuals in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which was home to the majority of the victims, and one person in Gujrat, a city that has long been used as a launching point for migrants.
“These individuals are currently being investigated for their involvement in facilitating the entire process,” stated Chaudhary Shaukat, a local official from Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
According to a joint statement from the International Organization for Migration and the UN Refugee Agency, it is estimated that between 400 and 750 people were on board the ill-fated boat.
On Saturday, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that 12 Pakistani nationals had survived the incident, but they had no information regarding the total number of individuals aboard the boat.
An anonymous immigration official informed AFP that the final death toll from the tragic incident could exceed 200.
In response to the heartbreaking event, Monday has been designated as a national day of mourning, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an immediate crackdown on individuals involved in human smuggling, emphasizing that they will face severe punishment.
“The Prime Minister has issued a strong directive to enhance efforts in combating those involved in the abhorrent crime of human trafficking,” stated the Prime Minister’s office in a released statement.
A combination of political unrest and a struggling economy pushes tens of thousands of Pakistanis to leave the country, both through legal and illegal means.
Young men, primarily from the eastern Punjab and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, often undertake a perilous journey through Iran, Libya, Turkey, and Greece as they seek to enter Europe.
(With inputs from agencies)
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