Pakistan mission in Greece confirmed at least five Pakistanis were killed in a migrant boat tragedy off the Greek island of Gavdos last week. Pakistani mission, however, confirmed that they do not have the authentic number of Pakistanis onboard the capsized boat.
One of the local media outlet had claimed that nearly 40 Pakistanis have been killed in the unfortunate incident. As per the latest reports.
An official at the Pakistan mission in Greece said, “So far, we have information of five dead Pakistanis and another 47 who have been rescued. No concrete information of missing persons is with us, and this is the final information available at this time.”
“We are in contact with the authorities who have concluded their special search operation,” said the official further adding that the Greek authorities will continue patrolling and will update the embassy with latest developments.
In response to the local media reports, Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra said that the foreign office has already released the official statement regarding the death toll.
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“We cannot comment on people’s statements or claims regarding how many Pakistanis were on board until we receive evidence from the investigation,” she said. “It is difficult to verify the claimed figure, as there was no official record of their travel.”
Three boats carrying migrants overturned in Greek territorial waters. Pakistan’s foreign ministry confirmed that the bodies of five Pakistani nationals were recovered, while at least 47 Pakistanis were rescued. The Pakistani embassy in Athens said that at least 35 Pakistani nationals remain missing.
More than 200 people were rescued in four different rescue operations by the coastguard over the weekend.
The incident has raised concerns regarding human trafficking. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered strict measures to be taken to combat the practice and demanding a detailed report on human trafficking involving Pakistani citizens this year.