Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a list of 21 Pakistani nationals who survived a boat accident off the coast of Morocco.
According to the Foreign Ministry spokesperson, verified reports confirm that 21 Pakistanis were among those rescued in the maritime operation near the city of Dakhla.
Pakistan’s embassy in Rabat responded immediately and provided essential aid, including food, water, medicine and clothing, to those affected. Medical teams are also assisting in relief efforts.
The Pakistani embassy and government remain in contact with the Moroccan authorities to monitor the situation and ensure necessary support to survivors.
The names of the rescued people 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.
Additionally, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar directed the government to provide immediate 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 trying to reach Europe.
On Thursday, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that a migrant boat with 80 passengers, including several Pakistanis, capsized near Morocco while en route to Spain.
The ship had left Mauritania on January 2, carrying 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis, according to human rights group Walking Borders. Moroccan authorities rescued 36 people on Wednesday.
The ship was heading towards Spain’s Canary Islands when it tragically capsized. Walking Borders executive director Helena Maleno said 44 of the 50 suspected dead were from Pakistan.
The incident has drawn renewed 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 directed the Foreign and Home Ministries to ensure prompt and effective assistance to Pakistani victims. Media reports indicate that most of the Pakistani nationals on board the ship were from cities in eastern Punjab.
In response to the growing threat of human trafficking, the government has stepped up its efforts against smugglers who facilitate these dangerous journeys to Europe, and several arrests have already been made.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for greater international cooperation to combat human trafficking networks and ordered the Federal Investigation Agency to compile a detailed report on migration-related incidents last year.
Shehbaz Sharif also called for implementation of Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) to monitor and prevent illegal movements.
