The identification process for 13 bodies recovered from the tragedy of Boat de Morocco has been completed, and all the victims are confirmed as Pakistani citizens, diplomatic sources said.
According to officials, the identification process has been completed and a list of the deceased has been launched. Identified victims include:
Sufyan Ali (Son of Javed Iqbal) – Passport No. VF1812352
Sajad Ali (Son of Muhammad Nawaz) – Passport No. XX1836111
Rais Afzal (Son of Muhammad Afzal) – Passport No. MJ1516091
Qasnain Haider (Son of Muhammad Banaras) – Passport No. AA6421773
Muhammad Waqas (Sonullah’s son) – Passport No. DJ6315471
Muhammad Akram (Son of Ghulam Rasool) – Passport No. DN0151754
Muhammad Arsalan Khan (Son of Ramzan Khan) – Passport No. LM4153261
Hamid Shabbir (Son of Ghulam Shabbir) – Passport No. CZ5133683
Qaiser Iqbal (Son of Muhammad Iqbal) – Passport No. Gr1331413
Danish Rehman (Son of Muhammad Nawaz) – Passport No. Se9154371
Muhammad Sajawal (Son of Rahim Deen) – Passport No. Ay559361
Shehzad Ahmed (Son of Wilayat Hussain) – Passport No. Gn1162802
Ehtesham (Son of Tariq Mehmood) – Passport No. CE1170122
According to the sources of the Pakistani embassy in Morocco, the initial reports of January 15 suggested that 44 Pakistani had died in the boat accident. However, local authorities recovered only 13 bodies from the scene.
The Pakistani embassy in Morocco worked with local officials to facilitate the identification process. The data and photographs of fingerprints were shared with Nadra, which verified the identities of the victims. Once the confirmation was completed, the official lists were compiled and launched.
A tragic boat accident on the coast of Morocco, which occurred after from Mauritania on January 2, claimed the lives of at least 50 people. The unfortunate vessel carried 86 migrants, with Moroccan authorities who reported that 66 passengers were Pakistani citizens. After the incident, 36 people were rescued by the Moroccan authorities.
Following the tragedy, strong reactions of the Pakistani government have emerged, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordering the authorities to take severe measures against the traffickers of people and the officials involved in facilitating illegal migration. This follows the growing concern for the growing number of boat capsization incidents involving Pakistani migrants.
Earlier this month, the former general director of the FIA, Ahmed Ishaque, Jehangir, eliminated 35 officials for their participation in facilitating human smuggling operations and not fulfilling their tasks effectively.
Meanwhile, eight survivors of the boat accident, between 21 and 41, arrived at Islamabad airport today aboard the Qatar Airways QR614 flight. They are currently being questioned by Pakistani officials. The survivors: Muhammad Afzal, Muhammad Adeel, Irfan Ahmed, Arsalan Shamil, Ghulam Mustafa, Badram Muhiuddin, Mujahid Ali and Tasbeeh Ahmed Shamil, returned to Pakistan after the tragedy.
The survivors are from several districts, including two from Sheikhupura, two from Sialkot, two from Mandi Bahauddin and one from Gujarat and Jhelum. Seven Pakistani who survived the boat incident returned to Pakistan last night, with three from Gujarat and one from Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Gujranwala and Sialkot.
