- Assures to make an example of those found negligent in wake of human smuggling
- AJK announces three-day mourning; 10 agents who illegally sent Pakistanis to Europe held
ISLAMABAD: While announcing Monday as Mourning Day over the demise of Pakistanis in Greece shipwreck tragedy, the Prime Minister on Sunday constituted a four member committee to probe the unfortunate incident thoroughly.
According to the PM office, the nation will observe Monday as Mourning Day and the national flag will fly at half-mast.
The PM while expressing his grief over the tragic incident constituted a four member Inquiry Committee to ascertain facts surrounding the Greece boat tragedy and fixe responsibility to bring the culprits to the justice.
The committee will be led by Director General, National Police Bureau (Chairman) Ehsan Sadiq, Additional Secretary(Africa), MoFA Javed Ahmed Umrani, DIG Police Region Poonch, AJ&K Sardar Zaheer Ahmad and Joint Secretary (FIA), Interior Division Faisal Nisar Ch would be members of the committee.
The committee will ascertain facts of the Greece boat tragedy besides to identify loopholes and lapses in the legal/enforcement mechanism in Pakistan that exposed precious human lives to the vagaries of human trafficking in this particular case and similar incidents in the past.
The committee will also analyze similar past incidents and actions taken and to take stock of existing legal framework, enforcement measures (in the country) and international coordination to prevent, control and punish human smuggling.
The committee will also prepare short and long term recommendations (including legislation, enforcement measures, awareness campaigns and improvement of national and international coordination) to apprehend agents, facilitators/masterminds/rackets and for the eradication of the menace of human trafficking.
The committee will submit the report within one week, according to the document.
It is pertinent to note that a boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of Greece on June 15, 2023 resulting in deaths of Pakistani/ AJK nationals along with other nationals.
The prime minister directed for an immediate crackdown against agents involved in the heinous crime of human trafficking and called for bringing them to justice.
The prime minister expressed his deep grief and sorrow over death of Pakistani nationals in the tragic incident that took place off the coast of Greece.
He said the entire nation including him shared their sympathies with the bereaved families.
The prime minister also directed the officials of the Pakistan embassy in Greece to look after 12 Pakistanis rescued from the scene of disaster.
Shehbaz also directed for taking further stringent action against the elements involved in human trafficking, besides asking the law enforcement agencies for the identification of such traffickers who had been duping people to undertake such perilous steps.
‘Action against those involved in human smuggling’
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday assured the nation that those found negligent towards their duty will be held to account in the wake of the heinous act of human smuggling that led to a boat disaster off the coast of Greece.
In a tweet on the social media platform Twitter, he said, “In order to ascertain facts in the wake of the tragic incident of the capsizing of the boat in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Greece, I have ordered a high-level inquiry. FIA & other law enforcement agencies have been tasked to tighten the noose around the individuals involved in the heinous act of human smuggling.”
“I have also directed Pakistan Foreign Office to undertake immediate coordination at all levels to collect information about the missing people and keep the nation updated.”
“I assure the nation that those found negligent towards their duty will be held to account. Responsibility will be fixed after the inquiry and heads will roll,” he added.
FIA focal person to facilitate public
Upon the directive of the prime minister, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has deputed DIG Alam Shinwari as focal person to facilitate people with information regarding those who lost lives in the incident and others who were injured.
Similarly, chief secretary Azad Jammu and Kashmir had also tasked a focal person to contact Pakistan embassy and Greek authorities in Greece regarding the latest information over the casualties and injuries.
The people rescued so far included 43 Egyptian nationals, 47 Syrian nationals, 12 Pakistani nationals, and two Palestinians, the Hellenic Coast Guard were quoted by international media outlets. Eight of those rescued were minors.
FIA committee to probe Greece boat tragedy
Earlier, the FIA formed a four-member committee to probe the Greece boat tragedy.
The FIA’s move came after the National Assembly took up the Greece boat tragedy and Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf ordered the authorities concerned to take stern action against human traffickers.
The directives from the NA speaker came after attention of the House was drawn towards the incident in which dozens drowned, including some Pakistanis, while attempting to enter Italy illegally from Libya.
Inspector Hadi Parestan Tanoli, Inspector Abdullah, Inspector Waqar Awan and Sub-inspector Irtaza Ansar were included in the committee. All of these members have been posted in FIA anti-human trafficking section.
The email address and phone numbers of committee members have also been shared and the people have also been advised to share information in this regard whose names would be kept anonymous.
AJK govt announces three-day mourning
The AJK government on Sunday announced a three-day mourning to mourn the deaths and drowning of more than 50 Kashmiri youth who were boarding the packed migrant boat which capsized off the coast of Greece. The three-day mourning period is starting from Sunday across Azad Kashmir during which the flag will remain flying at half-mast.
AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq directed the chief secretary to make contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to bring back the dead bodies. A list of 27 missing persons of Kotli district was also released after the boat accident.
Among the missing persons feared to be drowned in the boat accident, six youths from Pandori Kalan area of Wazirabad are also included. The youths went missing while going to Italy from Libya.
Besides them, 10 people belonging to Sarai Alamgir are also missing. They were trying to go to Italy. Their loved ones back home are unable to make a contact with them and they are overwhelmed with grief.
10 agents who sent Pakistanis to Europe arrested
Meanwhile, the AJK Police Sunday claimed to have arrested 10 agents who illegally sent Pakistanis to Europe via boat.
At least 378 people including 298 Pakistanis died and more than 100 were rescued including Pakistanis after a fishing boat overloaded with migrants capsized and sank off Peloponnese in southern Greece a day ago.
The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has launched a crackdown on the network involved in human trafficking in the valley after the Greece traffic boat accidentÛ”
DIG Dr Khalid Chohan said 10 agents sent who sent people illegally to Europe have been taken into custody and case has been registered at Khoi Rata police station.
The citizens hailing from Gujranwala, Gujarat, Sheikhupura, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, and Kotli in Azad Kashmir, were traveling to Europe in the boat. The rescue teams rescued group comprises both children and adults.
