Pakistan’s Foreign Office has released a list of 21 Pakistani nationals who survived a tragic boat accident near Morocco’s coast.
According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, verified reports confirmed that 21 Pakistanis were rescued during the maritime operation near Dakhla. The Pakistani embassy in Rabat promptly responded, providing food, water, medicine, clothing, and medical assistance to the survivors.
The embassy and the Pakistani government are actively coordinating with Moroccan authorities to monitor the situation and ensure continued support for those affected.
The names of the rescued individuals include Mudassir Hussain, Waseem Khalid, Muhammad Khaliq, Abdul Ghaffar, Gul Shamir, Tanveer Ahmed, Muhammad Abbas Kazmi, Ghulam Mustafa, Imran Iqbal, Shoaib Zafar, Ali Hasan, Muhammad Asif, and Bilal Iqbal.
Details of the Incident
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar directed authorities to provide prompt assistance to victims of the tragedy, in which over 40 Pakistani nationals are feared to have drowned. The incident occurred when a migrant boat carrying 80 passengers, including several Pakistanis, capsized near Morocco while heading to Spain.
The boat departed from Mauritania on January 2 with 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis, according to the rights group Walking Borders. Moroccan authorities rescued 36 people on Wednesday. Tragically, 44 of the 50 presumed dead are believed to be Pakistani.
Addressing Human Trafficking
This incident highlights the risks migrants face as they flee conflict and economic hardship in pursuit of a better life in Europe. Most Pakistani nationals aboard the vessel reportedly came from eastern Punjab.
In response, the Pakistani government has intensified its crackdown on human trafficking networks, with several arrests made. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for stronger international collaboration to combat trafficking and instructed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to compile a detailed report on migration incidents over the past year.
Additionally, the Prime Minister has directed the implementation of an Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) to monitor and prevent illegal movement effectively.
