FO confirms 21 Pakistanis among survivors in Morocco boat tragedy

Authorities are closely monitoring the situation with Moroccan officials.

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Pakistan’s Foreign Office has released a list of 21 Pakistani nationals who survived a boat accident off the coast of Morocco.

According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, verified reports confirm that 21 Pakistanis were among those rescued in the maritime operation near the town of Dakhla.

The Pakistani embassy in Rabat responded immediately, providing essential aid, including food, water, medicines, and clothing, to those affected. Medical teams are also assisting in the relief efforts.

The embassy and the Pakistani government remain in contact with Moroccan authorities to oversee the situation and ensure necessary support for the survivors.

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.

Morever, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, directed the government to provide prompt assistance to the victims of a recent boat tragedy off the coast of Morocco, where more than 40 Pakistani nationals are feared to have drowned while attempting to reach Europe.

On Thursday, Pakistan’s foreign office confirmed that a migrant boat with 80 passengers, including several Pakistanis, capsized near Morocco while en route to Spain.

The boat had departed Mauritania on January 2, carrying 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis, according to the rights group Walking Borders. Moroccan authorities rescued 36 people on Wednesday.

The boat was heading towards Spain’s Canary Islands when it tragically capsized. The CEO of Walking Borders, Helena Maleno, stated that 44 of the 50 presumed dead were from Pakistan.

The incident has once again drawn attention to the dangerous journeys undertaken by migrants from conflict-ridden and economically unstable regions in search of a better life in Europe.

During a meeting in Islamabad, Dar instructed the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior to ensure swift and efficient assistance for the Pakistani victims. Media reports indicate that most of the Pakistani nationals aboard the vessel hailed from cities in eastern Punjab.

In response to the growing threat of human trafficking, the government has ramped up its efforts against smugglers facilitating these perilous journeys to Europe, with several arrests already made.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for increased international cooperation to combat human trafficking networks and ordered the Federal Investigation Agency to compile a detailed report on migration-related incidents from the past year.

Shehbaz Sharif also called for the implementation of an Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) to monitor and prevent illegal movement.