Govt to swoop on 'cruel mafia' after Greek boat tragedy

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday directed the interior ministry to identify and punish the "cruel mafia" of human traffickers who exploit the poor with false and ambitious dreams, and take concrete measures to prevent any repeat of such tragic incident.

The statement, released by the Prime Minister House came hours after the Greek authorities confirmed the death of one Pakistani citizen in a boat capsize incident in the Mediterranean Sea. The authorities also said that 47 people rescued from sea were Pakistanis.

Shehbaz expressed his sorrow over the loss of Pakistani lives. "Human trafficking is a tragic crime that claims many lives and causes numerous families to suffer every year," he said. "Human traffickers are a cruel mafia who exploit the poor by deceiving them with false and ambitious dreams," he added.

The prime minister emphasized that such individuals should be identified and given strict punishment to prevent them from committing such heinous acts again.

In a separate statement, President Asif Zardari also termed human trafficking a "heinous practice" that causes immeasurable pain and suffering.

Initial reports overnight suggested that a cargo vessel, carrying illegal migrants capsized off the southern Greek island of Gavdos. The Greek coast guards said initially that five people drowned, while 39 were rescued, adding that many more were still missing as search operations continued.

Greece's coast authorities said that the rescued migrants were transferred to the island of Crete. Later on Sunday, the foreign ministry confirmed that one Pakistani citizen was among those who died in a boat capsizing incident.

"At this stage, we are unable to confirm the number of deceased or missing Pakistani nationals," the ministry stated. The ministry further said that officials of the Pakistan embassy had arrived in Crete to meet with the rescued Pakistani nationals and provide necessary assistance.

"The embassy has also activated its Crisis Management Unit (CMU) to support Pakistanis in Greece," the ministry said, adding that Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is personally monitoring the identification of Pakistanis in the incident and activities related to their help.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, on the directives of the prime minister ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to launch immediate "decisive action" in coordination with other law-enforcement agencies (LEAS), against the human trafficking mafias and smuggling networks.

"In response to the tragedy, the interior minister has constituted an inquiry committee … tasked with investigating the incident which is expected to submit its findings within five days," said a statement issued here.

Polio campaign

Prime Minister Shehbaz launched the last anti-polio drive of the year – aimed at vaccinating more than 44 million children – reiterating the government's commitment to completely eradicating the crippling disease from Pakistan.

During the inauguration ceremony in Islamabad, Shehbaz administered polio drops to children under-5 to formally inaugurate the campaign. The door-to-door campaign is set to commence across 143 specific districts of the country on Monday (today).

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the prime minister highlighted the growing concern over the rising polio cases, with around 60 new reported cases in 2024, but assured that with the combined efforts of the federal and provincial governments, the country would overcome this challenge.

He expressed his gratitude to the international partners who had supported Pakistan in the fight against polio, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the government of Saudi Arabia.

He specifically thanked Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his contributions to the campaign. "I especially thank the government of Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, for his very valuable contribution towards eradicating polio."

The prime minister urged parents to actively participate in the campaign and ensure the safety of their children from polio. He also acknowledged the dedication of the polio workers, recognising their bravery and hard work in difficult circumstances.

Earlier, Prime Minister's Focal Person for the Anti-Polio Drive Dr Ayesha Raza Farooq, thanked the Prime Minister for his steadfast support and participation. She assured that the campaign would leave no stone unturned in its efforts to ensure that every child is vaccinated against the disease.

The campaign will run until December 22 across 143 specific districts of the country. More than 44 million children will be vaccinated against polio during the campaign, for which over 400,000 polio workers have been deployed.

In a video message on the occasion, Farooq said: "We are determined to make the vaccine accessible to all children up to the age of five years. As a mother, I appeal to you to open your doors to polio workers and give all your children up to the age of five the mandatory polio drops."

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)