Pakistan Observes National Day of Mourning for Greece Boat Tragedy Victims

By Naveed Siddiqui
ISLAMABAD: In a solemn day of mourning, Pakistan came together to honour the victims of the recent Greece boat tragedy. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) announced the formation of specialized teams across major cities in the country to capture the human traffickers responsible for the devastating incident.
Last week, a heavily overloaded boat, estimated to be carrying around 750 individuals by a European rescue support charity, capsized off the coast of Greece. Over 100 lives were tragically lost, with hundreds more still unaccounted for.
Preliminary information from survivors of the shipwreck indicates that approximately 400 Pakistanis, 200 Egyptians, and 150 Syrians, including women and young children, were onboard the ill-fated trawler. However, the exact number of Pakistanis onboard has yet to be confirmed by authorities.
To address this humanitarian crisis, FIA Director General Mohsin Hassan Butt convened a meeting at the agency’s headquarters in Islamabad Monday. During the gathering, a report on the Greece shipwreck was presented, revealing that three inquiries had been launched to investigate the incident. Additionally, six cases have been registered in connection with the tragedy.
According to a spokesperson for the FIA, multiple first information reports have been filed against over 20 human smugglers, resulting in the arrest of more than five traffickers in Gujrat, Gujranwala, and Lahore. Initial investigations into the Greek shipwreck have provided crucial information to Pakistani authorities. It has been determined that the sinking ship departed from Benghazi, Libya on June 9th, with its destination set for Italy. The incident occurred in the Fishing Area, located approximately 5 kilometers within Greek territory. The vessel was owned by an Egyptian individual and carried passengers from Pakistan, Syria, and Libya.
Following the rescue operation conducted by the Greek Coast Guard, 104 individuals, including 12 Pakistanis, were saved, while the bodies of 79 victims, unfortunately, could not be identified. Testimonies from the survivors led to the identification of 14 Pakistani individuals involved in human smuggling, prompting the FIA to establish teams for their apprehension. Among the identified human smugglers are Shafaqat, Faisal Saniara, Asif Saniara, Haji Zulfiqar, and Mian Irfan, all hailing from Gujarat.
In Islamabad, a control room has been established at the Ministry of Interior to facilitate coordination between Greek and Pakistani authorities. Efforts will be made to verify the identities of the deceased individuals, and camp offices will be set up in Islamabad and Azad Kashmir to provide assistance to affected families. Locations for DNA sampling will be determined, and the Punjab Forensic Laboratory will be involved in preparing DNA reports. The government of Pakistan has decided to conduct DNA tests on the 78 bodies to aid in identification. A coordination cell for DNA-related matters has been instructed to be formed, comprising representatives from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, and the FIA.
The coordination cell will collect DNA samples from relatives of the unfortunate passengers who perished in the shipwreck. Camp offices, including necessary air camps, will be established in Islamabad and Azad Kashmir, with families being informed of the locations for DNA sampling. DNA testing will be conducted in Greece in consultation with the Pakistani Embassy there, and coordination will be maintained with the Punjab Forensic Laboratory throughout the process.