Federal company investigates individuals smugglers after two current incidents of Pakistanis drowning on their approach to Europe.
Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistani authorities have launched an investigation to seek out alleged traffickers after a ship carrying practically 200 individuals – 20 of them Pakistanis – drowned close to the southern Italian coast, killing a minimum of 63.
Sixteen Pakistanis survived the shipwreck, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted on Monday, whereas 4 others are nonetheless lacking. A search operation is constant.
On Tuesday, an official of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Company (FIA) instructed Al Jazeera there had been two incidents of Pakistani refugees drowning in current weeks, the opposite being off Libya’s coast practically every 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 got 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 International Workplace to establish information as early as attainable & take the nation into confidence.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) February 27, 2023
At the very least 63 individuals, together with 12 kids, died after the picket boat that left Turkey final week crashed early on sunday towards rocks close to Steccato di Cutro, a resort on the japanese 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 appear [to be] in good bodily situation. In keeping with them, there have been 20 Pakistanis on the ship. Embassy is in shut contact with Italian authorities to confirm the standing of the 4 lacking Pakistanis,” mentioned the tweet.
Muhammed Waseem, a resident of Gujar Khan, a small metropolis practically 60km (37 miles) from the capital, Islamabad, instructed Al Jazeera his nephew Asad Naeem was among the many Pakistanis who drowned within the Libya incident.
“We submitted an software to the international workplace on Monday however up to now haven’t heard something again 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 referred to as us and mentioned he has boarded a giant ship and there may be nothing to fret about. However two days later, we received a name from a quantity in Libya, informing us of his dying,” he mentioned.
“We’re on the lookout for some assist from the authorities to convey his physique again to Pakistan,” he added.
