— ‘Key smuggler’ linked to tragedy arrested from Vehari, claim Punjab police
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Khan assured the public the government is committed to taking strict action regarding the Greece ship accident, announcing that an investigation committee has already begun its inquiry into the incident.
Up to 750 men, women and children from Syria, Egypt, Palestine and Pakistan were on board the overcrowded steel fishing trawler trying to reach Europe.
More than 500 people are presumed to have drowned when the vessel sank in one of the deepest parts of the Mediterranean Sea last Wednesday. Reports indicated that at least 298 Pakistanis died, 135 from Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking to a news station, Khan said the committee, formed under the order of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, will present its report within a week, holding accountable those responsible for negligence.
The committee’s primary objective is to determine the facts surrounding the Greece boat tragedy and identify any shortcomings in Pakistan’s legal mechanisms that have endangered lives due to human trafficking, not only in this incident but also in similar cases from the past.
Furthermore, the committee will analyse previous incidents of a similar nature, and appropriate actions will be taken in accordance with the existing legal framework. The minister emphasized the importance of international coordination to prevent, control, and punish human smuggling in the future.
In addition to the investigation, the government will conduct a comprehensive review of both short-term and long-term legislation to address this issue effectively. Penalties will be prescribed for individuals found responsible for such incidents, and new laws will be developed to combat human trafficking.
‘KEY’ SUSPECT ARRESTED
Meanwhile, law enforcement authorities announced the arrest on Tuesday of a “key smuggler” believed to be involved in the tragic boat capsizing.
In a statement issued on Twitter by Punjab Inspector General Usman Anwar, it was revealed that the prime suspect in the case was apprehended during an operation conducted by the Vehari police. The arrest came after an intensive 24-hour offensive.
وہاڑی پولیس کی کاروائی، انسانی اسمگلنگ میں ملوث اور یونان کشتی حادثہ کا مرکزی ملزم گرفتار۔ وہاڑی پولیس کی ٹیم نے 24 گھنٹے کی ان تھک محنت کے بعد ملزم کو گرفتار کیا۔ پنجاب پولیس ایف آئی اے اور دیگر اداروں کو ملزمان کی گرفتاری و تفتیش میں بھرپور تعاون فراہم کر رہی ہے ۔ آئی جی پنجاب… pic.twitter.com/P0XgPln0vH
— Punjab Police Official (@OfficialDPRPP) June 20, 2023
The provincial police department is actively collaborating with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to apprehend additional suspects and further investigate the incident.
Expanding their investigation, the FIA has formed dedicated teams in major cities, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad, to ensure that all individuals involved in human trafficking are brought to justice.
During a meeting chaired by the director-general of the FIA, officials were directed to expedite the investigations against the human traffickers linked to the incident.
The meeting disclosed that three inquiries and six First Information Reports (FIRs) have been filed against over 20 individuals involved in human trafficking. Furthermore, five human smugglers have already been arrested in Gujrat, Gujranwala, and Lahore.
