Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has directed strict action against those who deceive and take innocent Pakistanis abroad illegally.
A meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister regarding the deaths of Pakistanis in the boat capsizing accident in Greece and the prevention of human trafficking.
During the meeting, Shahbaz Sharif expressed his anger over the slowness in taking action against such elements after the 2023 boat accident. The Prime Minister directed action against the officers involved in the slowness.
He said that a painful incident took place in the same area of Greece last year in which 262 Pakistanis died. Human trafficking brings disgrace to Pakistan worldwide, so concrete steps are needed to stop it.
The Prime Minister said that due to the slow steps taken, the recurrence of such incidents is a matter of concern.
He directed strict action against those who deceived innocent Pakistanis and took them abroad illegally.
Earlier, a petition was filed in the Lahore High Court for a judicial inquiry into the Greek boat incident, in which the federal government and others have been made parties.
A citizen named Munir Ahmed filed a petition in the Lahore High Court, stating that many Pakistanis have died in boat sinkings in Greece, and Pakistanis have died in similar boat sinkings in the past.
The petitioner said that the government is not taking action against human traffickers, not taking action against human traffickers is a violation of the law.
It should be noted that a few days ago, at least 5 migrants drowned and many went missing after a boat capsized near the southern Greek island of Gavdos.
Earlier, the Foreign Office spokesperson had released the list of 47 Pakistanis rescued in the Greek boat accident.
The spokesperson said that the Pakistani diplomatic mission in Athens is in constant contact with the Greek authorities, and the diplomatic mission is in contact with the local authorities to bring the bodies of Pakistani citizens back to Pakistan.
Later, Pakistani Ambassador to Greece Amir Aftab Qureshi said that dozens of Pakistanis are still missing in the boat accident, whose hopes of survival are very small, while the embassy will send the bodies of the Pakistanis who died in the accident to Pakistan at its own expense.
He said that the accident occurred due to the boats being overloaded, the boat in which the Pakistanis were on board first developed a crack and then sank.
He said that Pakistanis were on board 5 boats illegally leaving Libya, the boat they were on did not have a proper engine, walkie-talkie, or driver, while Pakistani children were also on the affected boats.
He said that children are being sent out on their own, which is a serious problem, parents are requested not to send their children on such a dangerous journey.
The Pakistani ambassador said that there were more than 80 Pakistanis on the boat. How sad that these people drowned thousands of feet deep in the sea at an unknown location, while the embassy will send the bodies of the Pakistanis who died in the accident to Pakistan at its own expense.
