The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) confirmed on Tuesday that at least 16 Pakistanis lost their lives in a boat tragedy near Libya.
According to the FIA, seven victims have been identified through their passports. Six of them were from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, while one belonged to Bajaur.
This confirmation follows a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) a day earlier, reporting that a vessel carrying around 65 people overturned near Marsa Dela, northwest of Zawiya City, Libya.
The Pakistan Embassy in Tripoli sent a team to Zawiya Hospital to support local authorities in identifying the deceased. Additionally, a Crisis Management Unit (CMU) was set up to track developments, with a helpline at 051-9207887 provided for assistance.
For inquiries in Tripoli, people were advised to contact 03052185882 (WhatsApp), +218913870577 (cellphone), or +218 91-6425435 (WhatsApp).
This incident adds to a growing number of migrant boat disasters claiming Pakistani lives. In January, over 40 Pakistanis perished when a boat traveling from Mauritania to Spain capsized.
The vessel, which departed on January 2 with 86 passengers, carried 66 Pakistanis, as confirmed by Moroccan authorities, who rescued 36 survivors.
Before that, more than 80 Pakistanis drowned in another tragedy near Greece on the night of December 13-14, 2024.
Despite the dangers, many continue to embark on perilous journeys in search of better opportunities abroad, often paying hefty sums to human traffickers.
In response, the government under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has intensified its crackdown on human smugglers and officials involved in facilitating illegal migration.
So far, 35 FIA officials have been dismissed, and the agency’s former director general, Ahmad Ishaq Jahangir, was removed due to slow investigations into these incidents.
Beyond government action, religious scholars have also taken a stance. Lahore’s Jamia Naeemia issued a fatwa condemning illegal migration, declaring it both unlawful and against Islamic teachings.
Dr. Mufti Raghib Hussain Naeemi and Mufti Imran Hanfi emphasized that seeking illegal routes to travel abroad violates Shariah.