The remains of six Pakistani nationals who lost their lives in a migrant boat tragedy off the coast of Libya arrived in Islamabad on Thursday. The victims were among the 16 Pakistanis confirmed dead after a vessel carrying approximately 70 passengers, including an estimated 63 Pakistanis, capsized near the port of Marsa Dela, northwest of Zawiya city, earlier this month. The Pakistani Foreign Office had previously reported that 37 individuals survived, while at least 10 Pakistanis remained missing.
Victims and Repatriation Process
The deceased individuals were primarily from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, an area affected by violence and food shortages due to road blockades. The bodies repatriated included five from Kurram—Musawir Hussain, son of Sher Mehdi; Shoaib Ali, son of Muhammad Ali; Abid Hussain, son of Muhammad Hassan; Musab Hussain, son of Jamil Hussain; and Shoaib Hussain, son of Noor Ali. The sixth deceased, Muhammad Ali Shah, son of Abdullah Shah, hailed from Orakzai district.
Read More: Seven Pakistanis dead in Libya boat tragedy: FIA confirms
The repatriation was facilitated by the Pakistani government after the completion of formalities by the country’s diplomatic mission in Tripoli, Libya. The bodies arrived in Islamabad at 7:25 a.m. via Qatar Airways Flight QR614. Minister for Housing and Works Riaz Hussain Pirzada was present at the airport to receive them, ensuring that all necessary arrangements were made for their onward transfer.
Support for Grieving Families
To assist the victims’ families, facilitation desks were set up at the airport, where the remains were officially handed over. The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), in coordination with local authorities, arranged for ambulances to transport the bodies to Peshawar before they were sent to their respective hometowns. A standby medical team was also deployed to assist the grieving relatives.
Minister Pirzada expressed his condolences and emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring the safe repatriation of all Pakistani nationals affected by the tragedy. He also reiterated the dangers of illegal migration, urging Pakistani youth to seek legal pathways for travel and employment opportunities abroad.
A Series of Migrant Tragedies
The Libya boat tragedy is part of a series of deadly incidents involving Pakistani migrants attempting perilous journeys to Europe. Just weeks before, at least 13 Pakistanis perished when a boat carrying 80 passengers capsized near Morocco’s port of Dakhla.
In December 2023, around 40 Pakistani migrants drowned off the coast of Greece, with 35 presumed dead after going missing. The Pakistani Foreign Office reported that 47 Pakistanis were rescued in that incident. More tragically, in June 2023, over 350 Pakistanis lost their lives when an overcrowded boat sank while en route to Greece from Tobruk, Libya.
Similar incidents have occurred in the past, including in April and February 2023, when Pakistani migrants were among those who died in separate boat capsizes in the Mediterranean.
Government Response and Crackdown on Human Smuggling
Following these repeated tragedies, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to take stringent measures against human smuggling networks facilitating these dangerous journeys. Law enforcement agencies have intensified their crackdown on human traffickers, who lure desperate individuals into life-threatening migration attempts.
Read More: Migrant mass graves uncovered in Libya’s southeast
According to Pakistan’s National Commission for Human Rights, over 6,000 Pakistanis attempted illegal journeys to Europe in 2023. However, independent estimates suggest the figure could be as high as 40,000 annually. These migrants, often fleeing economic hardship and security challenges, pay hefty sums to smugglers, hoping for better opportunities in Europe.