By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The foreign office said on Sunday that 21 Pakistani nationals have been identified among the survivors of a migrant boat tragedy off Morocco’s coast earlier this month.
“Based on verified information, 21 Pakistani nationals have been identified among the survivors of a maritime incident near Dakhla, Morocco,” the foreign office said in a statement.
The incident resulted in the deaths of at least 44 Pakistani immigrants, with 10 bodies recovered so far, according to media reports. The survivors and the bodies are currently in Dakhla, a small town near the coast of Morocco.
A government team has been dispatched to Morocco to assess the situation and provide assistance to the victims.
“Through our diplomatic mission in Rabat, immediate assistance has been mobilised for the affected nationals,” the foreign office added.
“The embassy has arranged essential provisions including food, water, medicine, and clothing, while the local authorities in Dakhla are providing shelter and medical care in response to our diplomatic outreach.”
The embassy’s consular team is currently present in Dakhla to oversee relief operations and coordinate with local authorities.
“[The] government remains in close coordination with relevant authorities in Morocco to ensure comprehensive support for our affected citizens and finalise repatriation procedures… We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of overseas Pakistanis and will continue to monitor the situation closely,” the statement added.
According to the statement Muddassir Hussain, Waseem Khalid, Muhammad Khaliq, Abdul Ghaffar, Gul Shameer, Tanveer Ahmed, Syed Muhammad Abbas Kazmi, Ghulam Mustafa, Syed Badar Mohy ud din, Imran Iqbal, Shoaib Zafar, Ali Hassan, Syed Mehtab Ul Hassan, Uzair Basharat, Mohammad Asif, Mujahid Ali, Amir Ali, Mohammad Umar Farooqie, Bilawal Iqbal, Arsalan, and Irfan Ahmad are amongst the victims.
Media reports claim almost all the Pakistanis who were on the boat were from cities in the eastern Punjab province.
The government has intensified its efforts in recent months against human smugglers who facilitate perilous journeys for illegal immigrants to Europe and has made several arrests.
The government has intensified efforts against human smugglers, making several arrests in recent months. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for enhanced cooperation with international agencies to combat human trafficking networks.
The incident has highlighted the perilous journeys undertaken by many migrants, particularly Pakistanis, due to conflict and economic instability in their home country.
In 2023, hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, drowned in a boat disaster off Greece.
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