The bodies of six Pakistani citizens who perished in a boat tragedy off the coast of the city of Zawiya, Libya, were repatriated to Pakistan on Thursday. The remains, which arrived through a flight from Qatar Airways, were received at Islamabad airport by afflicted families.
The tragic incident, which occurred earlier this month, saw the overturning of a migrant boat that transported around 65 passengers, 16 of which were Pakistani citizens. While 37 Pakistani survived, almost another 10 remain missing.
The repatriation was facilitated by the Pakistan government, with formalities completed by the Pakistani mission in Tripoli.
The Minister of Housing and Works Riaz Hussain Pirzada was present at the airport to receive the bodies, offering condolences to families. He said that all arrangements were made to ensure that the bodies were transported to their cities of origin.
Pirzada expressed the government’s commitment to support families during this difficult time. “The tragedy that occurred on February 5 has left many families in mourning,” he said. “We are with the families of the victims and ensure the return of the remaining bodies.”
The repatriated bodies were identified as Musawir Hussain, Shoaib Ali, Muhammad Ali Shah, Abid Hussain, Musab Hussain and Shoaib Hussain. The six came from the regions of Kurram and Orakzai in Pakistan.
The Pakistan Foreign Ministry had previously confirmed that the Libyan authorities had recovered the bodies of at least 16 Pakistani citizens. The boat overturned near the port of Marsa Dela, located northwest of the city of Zawiya. In response, the Pakistani government activated a crisis management cell to help afflicted families and facilitate the repatriation process.
Riaz Hussain Pirzada also highlighted the dangers of illegal migration, calling the incident a tragic lesson. “This tragedy illustrates the risks of trying to reach Europe through illegal routes,” he said, urging young people to follow legal migration chances.
The bodies were delivered to their families, and the Pakistani Foundation abroad organized their transport to the native cities of the victims. Ambulances and medical equipment were also deployed to help afflicted families during the repatriation process.
Previously, in a great advance in the investigation of the tragedy of the Boat of Libya 2025, the Kohat area of the Federal Research Agency (FIA) Kohat arrested two members of an international network of trafficking in persons.
The suspects, Habibur Rehman and Naveed Ahmed, were arrested in a raid in Pusht Bazaar, Bajaur.
According to the officials, the arrested individuals were part of a network that operated together with Italy -based accomplices, including Wajid Ali and Shah Faisal. The gang was involved in the smuggling of people to Europe through illegal channels. The tragic boat accident became the lives of 14 victims of Kurram, who had been attracted to the dangerous trip.
