Islamabad: On Sunday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to find those responsible for human smuggling in response to the recent Greek boat tragedy.
An overloaded boat that had, according to a European rescue support charity, about 750 people on board, sank in open waters off the coast of Greece on Wednesday. Although the precise number has not yet been officially confirmed, many Pakistanis are believed to be dead. As National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf urged the government to “immediately investigate” the incident, the Foreign Office announced on Saturday that 12 Pakistanis had been found alive. To find those responsible, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has also assembled a four-person team.
In a statement released today, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that PM Shehbaz directed LEAs to track down “agents” involved in human trafficking and called for bringing them to justice.
Further, on the instructions of the premier, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had appointed DIG Alam Shinwari as the focal person to facilitate information regarding those who lost their lives in the incident and the injured.
The PMO handout said that the Azad Jammu and Kashmir chief secretary had also appointed a focal person to contact the Pakistani embassy in Greece and authorities in this regard, and for facilitating the injured and the deceased’s relatives.
PM Shehbaz also directed the FO to “immediately take action” on the boat capsizing and the reports of possible Pakistanis being among the victims.
Furthermore, the premier ordered Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to submit details via his ministry and submit a report after conducting an investigation into the matter.
“Best efforts should be made for all Pakistanis. I will not tolerate any laziness and incompetence,” the handout quoted the prime minister.
He also ordered for a help desk to be immediately established for the families of those affected by the incident so that they are “alerted with all details”.
The PMO statement further stated Shehbaz “strictly” directing Pakistani ambassadors in Greece and Egypt to “take emergency measures”.
PM Shehbaz expressed deep grief and sorrow at the Pakistani lives lost in the boat tragedy and instructed the embassy in Greece to look after the 12 citizens rescued.
Separately, a day ago, the FIA appealed to those having “information pertaining to the perpetrators and facilitators (agents/human traffickers)” involved in the incident to inform the agency and share the information with them.
