Only 104 of the 700 migrants aboard a boat that sank off Greece coast were rescued on Wednesday including Pakistani Refugee’s . The survivors are now being processed and brought to various European capitals for resettlement. The shocking tragedy underscores the need for Europe to do more to help those who have risked their lives risking everything for a better life.
Tragic events between Libya and Italy saw a boat carrying over 700 individuals, including Pakistani immigrants, sink, presumed to drown over 500 of them. This tragic news sent shockwaves through nations; according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimates, only 12 Pakistanis survived this Greece boat accident, while desperate search and rescue attempts spanning two days yielded no additional survivors, suggesting no one remains alive to be saved.
As most migrants on board hailed from Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued an investigation of this incident and tightened measures against those involved in human smuggling activities.
Pakistani families in mourning have taken to social media platforms in an attempt to trace missing or deceased loved ones. The Pakistani Embassy in Greece has been working tirelessly in their assistance, collecting DNA samples from family members to aid the identification process and sharing relevant documents and contact info via their email addresses.
Authorities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir have taken swift action, apprehending 12 individuals involved in facilitating local youths’ journeys to Libya in preparation for migration into Europe.
Unfortunately, details as to exactly how many young men from this region were onboard the vessel are unknown, nor are there any accounts of who died or has gone missing since.
The Embassy of Pakistan immediately dispatched a team to assist rescued survivors as the nation mourned this heartbreaking tragedy.
This tragic event is a stark reminder of the difficult journeys each year by migrants seeking safety from war, persecution, climate change and poverty. It brings home the need to address smugglers who put people’s lives in peril by turning journeys into death sentences; furthermore, it emphasizes why international cooperation must come together to prevent further tragedies like these recurring and ensure the safety of those seeking refuge.
