PM orders crackdown on illegal migration

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday ordered immediate implementation of the Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) to monitor international travellers and instructed the authorities concerned to solicit international cooperation to stop illegal migration from the country.

Chairing a meeting to discuss the death of Pakistani nationals in a boat capsize in Greece this month and measures to curb human trafficking, Shehbaz said that such recurring incidents were because of a "sluggish action" against those involved in human trafficking.

He directed the authorities concerned to take solid actions against human trafficking, who were bringing defame to Pakistan. "The recurrence of such incidents is due to the sluggish actions against the people involved," Shehbaz added, expressing his displeasure with the inaction of the Pakistani authorities.

He recalled that 262 Pakistanis had lost their lives in a similar incident in the same area last year. "Strict action must be taken against those involved in the trafficking of innocent people to other countries," he instructed the participants of the meeting.

Shehbaz instructed for immediate implementation of the IBMS to monitor international travellers. He also stressed the need for enhancing collaboration with international institutions to prevent the recurrence of such tragic incidents.

During the briefing, the prime minister was informed that 174 people involved in human trafficking had been produced before courts with four of them convicted. Shehbaz sought details on the public awareness campaign on human trafficking.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Syed Mohsin Naqvi, Ahad Cheema, and Attaullah Tarar, besides Special Assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, Coordinator to Prime Minister Rana Ehsan Afzal and relevant senior officers.

The tragic capsizing of a boat near Greece reveals alarming details about human smuggling networks as the incident has claimed the lives of at least five Pakistani nationals, with around 30 still missing.

As survivors recount a horrifying ordeal at sea, investigations indicate that smugglers are now using smaller, overcrowded boats to evade coastguard detection, a practice that directly contributed to the tragedy.

The ill-fated vessel, carrying more than double its capacity, included 84 passengers, most of them Pakistanis aged between 15 and 40. Among them were three boys aged 15 to 16.

Survivors have shared distressing video accounts, detailing their struggle for survival on December 13, when the vessel collided with a cargo ship in rough seas and capsized.

On the other hand, survivors urged the authorities to deter others from taking the deadly route. "We survived by sheer luck," said one. "The cold was unbearable, and the waves were unforgiving. We appeal to everyone, to never take this route."

The majority of the victims hail from Punjab's districts, including Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin and Gujrat. Many were young men in their twenties, driven by the dream of a better future in Europe. (WITH INPUT FROM APP)