ISLAMABAD:
Several Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials have been fired, demoted or censured for many crimes, including negligence that contributed to the 2023 Greek boat tragedy, in which more than 200 Pakistani migrants lost their lives.
According to government sources, the Ministry of the Interior and Narcotics Control carried out the accountability process and issued orders for various sanctions.
The officials were fired on various charges ranging from criminal negligence and corruption to unprofessional conduct. The secretary also rejected multiple appeals. Sources said the secretary conducted a case-by-case review of departmental accountability and appeals procedures.
In the Greek ship tragedy case, a deputy director and two deputy directors posted at Karachi airport were dismissed after charges of negligence were proven. An assistant manager posted at Faisalabad airport was also dismissed on similar charges of negligence in the same case.
At Multan airport, a deputy director was demoted with a reduction in rank and salary for three years, for alleged links to human traffickers.
Additionally, two senior researchers were fired for poor research, while an assistant database administrator was fired for negligence and carelessness.
Four deputy directors and one inspector were disciplined for absenteeism, negligence and poor investigation, receiving reductions in their basic salary scale of one to three years. At Islamabad airport, a deputy director and an inspector were reprimanded for ill-treatment of a prisoner.
The Home Secretary and Narcotics Control also rejected the appeals of six sub-inspectors, one ASI, three police chiefs and five constables, confirming their dismissal from service.
Likewise, the appeal of a lower division secretary (LDC) was rejected, and the dismissal order for absenteeism was upheld. However, in the appeals of a superintendent and a sub-inspector, the earlier penalty of suspension of promotion was modified into censure.
On June 14, 2023, the Adriana, an Italy-bound fishing trawler smuggling migrants, sank in international waters in the part of the Mediterranean known as the Ionian Sea, off the coast of Pylos, Messinia, Greece.
The ship had a capacity of 400 people and was carrying between 400 and 750 migrants, mostly from Pakistan, Syria, Palestine and Egypt, and some from Afghanistan.
The then Home Minister Rana Sanaullah had said there were at least 350 Pakistani victims on the overloaded ship.
The FIA had stated that 209 Pakistanis were killed in the incident, 181 from Pakistan and 28 from AJK.
