ISLAMABAD
\nPakistan on Monday observed a day of mourning over the tragic deaths of Pakistani migrants in the ship sinking disaster near the coast of Greece on Wednesday last.
\nObserving the day of mourning was announced by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
\nThe national flags were hoisted half-mast and special prayers were offered for the deceased.
\nWhile announcing the mourning day, the prime minister constituted a four-member committee to ascertain the facts surrounding the Greece boat tragedy and fix responsibility to bring the culprits to the justice.
\nThe 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.
\nThe 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.
\nThe 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.
\nThe 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.
\nThe committee will submit the report within one week.
\nThe prime minister directed for an immediate crackdown against agents involved in the heinous crime of human trafficking and called for bringing them to justice.
\nDefence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has called for a firm action against those involved in sending the people abroad illegally.
\nSpeaking in the National Assembly on Monday, he expressed deep grief and sorrow over the deaths of Pakistani migrants in a boat incident near the coast of Greece.
\nKhawaja Asif said the government and the opposition parties should work collectively to initiate a stern action against these human traffickers and this illegal movement must stop.
\nHe said some people have been arrested in the country, but their nexus also exists in other different countries as well.
\nThe Defence Minister said the nation is observing a day of mourning on Monday to express solidarity with the bereaved families of boat tragedy.
\nThe Chair, in his remarks, said that the Greece Boat tragedy has aggrieved the entire nation. He said the government must take action against the human traffickers and stressed that the people should also be educated about the hazards of illegal immigration. Earlier, at the outset, the House offered fateha for the departed souls of Pakistani migrants died in a boat incident near the coast of Greece as well as those who died in other accidents in the country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD Pakistan on Monday observed a day of mourning over the tragic deaths of Pakistani migrants in the ship sinking disaster near the coast of Greece on Wednesday last. Observing the day of mourning was announced by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. The national flags were hoisted half-mast and special prayers were offered for the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-338740","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n