10 held after Greek boat tragedy
Pakistani authorities arrested 10 alleged human traffickers yesterday, days after hundreds of migrants were feared drowned off the Greek coast.
Every year, thousands of young Pakistanis embark on perilous journeys attempting to enter Europe illegally in search of a better life.
Local media said as many as 300 Pakistanis had died after a rusty trawler sank near Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula on Wednesday.
Officials said nine people had been detained in Pakistan-administered Kashmir – home to a majority of the victims – and one in Gujarat, a city that has long served as a springboard for migrants.
One of the arrested was nabbed while trying to flee abroad.
“They are presently under investigation for their involvement in facilitating the entire process,” said Chaudhary Shaukat, a local official from Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Between 400 to 750 people were believed to have been aboard the boat, according to a joint statement from the International Organisation for Migration and UN Refugee Agency.
On Saturday, Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs said 12 nationals had survived, but it had no information on how many were on board the boat.
An immigration official said on condition of anonymity that the figure could surpass 200.
Today has been declared a national day of mourning as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an immediate crackdown on agents engaged in people smuggling.
He said they would be “severely punished”.
His office said in a statement: “The prime minister has given a firm directive to intensify efforts in combating individuals involved in the heinous crime of human trafficking.”
A combination of political turmoil and an economy on the brink of collapse drives tens of thousands of Pakistanis to leave the country – legally and illegally.
Young men, primarily from eastern Punjab and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, often use a route through Iran, Libya, Turkey and Greece to enter Europe. –
The prime minister has given a firm directive to intensify efforts in combating individuals involved in the heinous crime of human trafficking.
Pakistani PM’s office