Photo courtesy National Assembly of Pakistan
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Friday informed the National Assembly that at least 350 Pakistanis were onboard the migrant boat that capsized off the coast of Greece, adding over 300 of them had perished in the tragedy.
Sanaullah’s disclosure was the first time an official source has provided confirmation of the number of Pakistanis onboard the ill-fated boat, with earlier estimates ranging between 200 and 400. According to the minister, the boat had a capacity of 400 people and had been overloaded with around 700 passengers. He said it sank after its engine stopped working around 80km from the southern Greek town of Pylos.
Describing the accident as among the worst tragedies on the Mediterranean Sea, he lamented that such large casualties had not even been reported from recent terror attacks. Only 12 of the 104 confirmed survivors are from Pakistan, he added. Explaining that identification of the recovered bodies was only possible through DNA testing, he said authorities had secured samples of the victims’ parents and children and would use them to ascertain the names of the people whose bodies had been found.
“So far 281 families have contacted authorities and expressed the apprehension that their loved one might have been on board,” he said, adding 193 DNA samples had been collected and bodies of Pakistani victims would be repatriated after their identification.
On human trafficking from Pakistan, he said available information suggested around 99 percent of Pakistanis who tried to enter Europe illegally initially traveled to Egypt, Libya or the United Arab Emirates on valid visas. “These are the three favorite routes of human smugglers,” he said. “We are looking at how teenagers between 18 and 22 with no business in those countries are able to easily secure visas which allow them to travel in groups,” he said. “The issue is being taken up with these countries to ensure certain standards for visas,” he added.
The minister said the prime minister had formed a high-level committee headed by a grade-22 officer to investigate the tragedy and propose action against traffickers. He lamented that conviction rates of human traffickers were abysmally low. “Even if cases are registered, the accused are released on bail or victims gave statements after reconciling in return for money,” he said, adding amendments were being proposed for stringent legislation to counter illegal migration.
“I assure the house that we will spare no efforts, and a comprehensive set of recommendations will be proposed by the probe committee, which the government will diligently implement,” he said.