Federal company investigates individuals smugglers after two latest incidents of Pakistanis drowning on their technique to Europe.
Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistani authorities have launched an investigation to seek out alleged traffickers after a boat carrying almost 200 individuals – 20 of them Pakistanis – drowned close to the southern Italian coast, killing not less than 63.
Sixteen Pakistanis survived the shipwreck, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted on Monday, whereas 4 others are nonetheless lacking. A search operation is continuous.
On Tuesday, an official of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Company (FIA) informed Al Jazeera there had been two incidents of Pakistani refugees drowning in latest weeks, the opposite being off Libya’s coast almost per week in the past.
The FIA official, on situation of anonymity, mentioned the company had fashioned a number of groups of investigators following the incidents and anticipated to arrest some suspected traffickers.
“We've met some households and carried out our personal investigation into legal parts concerned in trafficking, and can hopefully make some arrests quickly,” he mentioned.
The experiences of the drowning of over two dozen Pakistanis in a ship tragedy in Italy are deeply regarding & worrisome. I've directed Overseas Workplace to determine details as early as potential & take the nation into confidence.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) February 27, 2023
No less than 63 individuals, together with 12 kids, died after the picket boat that left Turkey final week crashed early on Sunday in opposition to rocks close to Steccato di Cutro, a resort on the jap coast of Italy’s Calabria area.
In a tweet on Monday, Pakistan’s international ministry mentioned their embassy official in Italy met the 16 Pakistanis rescued from the capsized vessel.
“They appeared [to be] in good bodily situation. In line with them, there have been 20 Pakistanis on the ship. Embassy is in shut contact with Italian authorities to confirm standing of the 4 lacking Pakistanis,” mentioned the tweet.
Muhammed Waseem, a resident of Gujar Khan, a small metropolis almost 60km (37 miles) from the capital, Islamabad, informed Al Jazeera his nephew Asad Naeem was among the many Pakistanis who drowned within the Libya incident.
“We submitted an utility to the international workplace on Monday however to date haven't heard again something from the officers,” he mentioned.
Waseem mentioned the household final heard from his nephew on February 22 when he boarded a ship in Libya sure for Italy.
“He known as us and mentioned he has boarded an enormous ship and there's nothing to fret about. However two days later, we received a name from a quantity in Libya, informing us of his demise,” he mentioned.
“We're in search of some assist from the authorities to deliver his physique again to Pakistan,” he added.
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