Greece boat tragedy
\n Athens
\nDozens of Pakistanis still missing in the aftermath of the boat accident in Greece, as confirmed by the Pakistani Ambassador.
\nIn a press conference, Pakistan\u2019s Ambassador to Greece, Aamar Aftab Qureshi, stated that the embassy will send the bodies of the Pakistani nationals who died in the incident back to Pakistan at its own expense.
\nHe mentioned that many Pakistanis are still missing from the accident, and although the rescue operation is still ongoing at the accident site, hopes of finding survivors have been extinguished, Express News reported. According to ambassador, five boats were carrying Pakistanis illegally from Libya, and the accident occurred due to the overcrowding of the boats. The boat carrying Pakistanis had a crack, causing it to sink. There were 80 Pakistanis aboard this boat.
\nThe ambassador further revealed that a significant number of missing individuals were children.
\nPakistan\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that four Pakistanis were killed in the incident. The spokesperson confirmed their identities, and the Pakistani mission in Athens is coordinating with Greek authorities for the repatriation of the bodies and to assist the survivors.
\nMeanwhile, two brothers from Gujarat, who survived the boat tragedy, shared their story, explaining that their boat collided with a cargo ship, causing it to capsize. The engine of the affected boat was faulty, and the condition of the boat was poor.
\nThe survivors recounted that they were kept in Libya by agents for about one and a half to two months before their boat set sail on December 11. The waves were very rough, and they spent 3 to 4 days at sea. When they were nearing Italy from Libya, their boat collided with a cargo ship near Greece, causing it to capsize.
\nOne of the survivors said that thanks to God\u2019s mercy, he is alive, and after the accident, they were rescued from the sea and sent to a camp in Greece. While Pakistani nationals in Greece have provided them with clothes and shoes, the Pakistani embassy has not offered any assistance.
\nThe survivor shared that due to difficult circumstances in Pakistan, he left the country in search of a better life, only to face further hardships abroad.
\nRevelations have emerged about the boat accident near Greece. Human traffickers have started using small boats instead of large trawlers to evade coast guard surveillance systems.
\nOn the night of December 11-12, three boats carrying migrants from Libya were launched. The boats were at sea for about two and a half days. Two of the boats made it safely, while one encountered an accident. This recent incident, like previous ones, occurred due to the greed of the crew and smugglers. The boat was overcrowded, which led to the accident.
\nAccording to information obtained by Express, over 84 people were aboard the affected boat, most of whom were Pakistanis, with some Egyptians and Sudanese among them. One of the two crew members, a Sudanese, survived and was arrested by the police. So far, 47 Pakistanis have been rescued, and four Pakistanis have been confirmed dead, one of whom was from Sialkot.
\nSources suggest that 30 Pakistanis are still missing, and their whereabouts are being searched based on reports from the surviving Pakistanis.
\nIt has also been revealed that the ages of the individuals aboard the boat ranged from 15 to 40 years, with the majority between 25 and 30 years old. Three children aged 15-16 were also on board. Most of the passengers were from Punjab, including areas like Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, and Gujarat.
\nGovt to swoop on \u2018cruel mafia\u2019 after Greek boat tragedy
\nPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday directed the interior ministry to identify and punish the \u201ccruel mafia\u201d of human traffickers who exploit the poor with false and ambitious dreams, and take concrete measures to prevent any repeat of such tragic incident.
\nThe statement, released by the Prime Minister House came hours after the Greek authorities confirmed the death of one Pakistani citizen in a boat capsize incident in the Mediterranean Sea. The authorities also said that 47 people rescued from sea were Pakistanis.
\nShehbaz expressed his sorrow over the loss of Pakistani lives. \u201cHuman trafficking is a tragic crime that claims many lives and causes numerous families to suffer every year,\u201d he said. \u201cHuman traffickers are a cruel mafia who exploit the poor by deceiving them with false and ambitious dreams,\u201d he added.
\nThe prime minister emphasized that such individuals should be identified and given strict punishment to prevent them from committing such heinous acts again.
\nIn a separate statement, President Asif Zardari also termed human trafficking a \u201cheinous practice\u201d that causes immeasurable pain and suffering.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Greece boat tragedy Athens Dozens of Pakistanis still missing in the aftermath of the boat accident in Greece, as confirmed by the Pakistani Ambassador. In a press conference, Pakistan\u2019s Ambassador to Greece, Aamar Aftab Qureshi, stated that the embassy will send the bodies of the Pakistani nationals who died in the incident back to Pakistan […]<\/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":["post-450000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-top-news"],"yoast_head":"\n