One Pakistani dead, 47 others rescued in Greek boataccident: FO

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa) confirmed on Sunday that 47 Pakistani nationals had been rescued from the site of the boat capsize near Greece while one was confirmed to be among the migrants who died in the mishap. In response to speculation regarding the casualties, MoFA clarified the situation but also indicated the possibility of additional casualties, as the rescue operation was still ongoing.

“At this stage, we are unable to confirm the number of deceased or missing Pakistani nationals,” the ministry stated.

According to the coastguard on Saturday, at least five migrants drowned after their wooden boat capsized off the southern Greek island of Gavdos, while witnesses reported that many others were still missing as search operations continued.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Pakistani Embassy in Athens has been in contact with both the Hellenic Coast Guard and Coast Guard of Chania, who are directly managing the search and rescue operation. “Embassy officials have travelled to Crete to meet with the rescued Pakistanis and provide any necessary assistance,” the ministry said.

The ministry also confirmed that its Crisis Management Unit (CMU) has been activated to assist Pakistanis in Greece. Pakistani nationals in Greece and their families are urged to contact the CMU via telephone at 051-9207887 or by email at cmu1@mofa.gov.pk. Families of the missing Pakistanis can reach the Embassy of Pakistan in Greece to provide details at +30-6943850188.

The CMU will oversee the rescue operation and the identification of affected Pakistanis, ensuring that the families of deceased are given access to their loved ones for identification.

Following the prime minister’s directive, the Pakistani embassy has written to all relevant Greek authorities regarding the matter.

This tragic event has renewed calls for stricter measures to combat human smuggling and protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation by criminal networks.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed sorrow and condolences over the loss of lives in the boat capsize. Describing human smuggling as a heinous crime that destroys numerous lives each year, he stressed the need for strict punishments and concrete measures to prevent such incidents in future. The prime minister added that deceptive tactics were being used by smuggling mafias to exploit vulnerable individuals for money through false promises. PM Shehbaz also directed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident and present a report at the earliest. He emphasized the importance of identifying and punishing those responsible to ensure such actions are not repeated. “Concrete steps must be taken to prevent such tragedies in the future,” he added.

On the directive of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the security czar has formed a committee, led by the additional secretary of Ministry of Interior, to investigate the incident. The committee has been tasked with conducting an inquiry and submitting its findings within five days.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed sorrow over the deaths of Pakistani migrants in the boat capsize incident, condemning human smuggling as a despicable act that leads to the loss of loved ones. He called for expedited measures to eradicate human smuggling and condoled with the families of victims, praying for their patience.

Pakistan Peoples Party Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman expressed her grief over the incident, remarking that another case of human smuggling had claimed multiple precious lives. She recalled that at least 400 Pakistanis lost their lives in a similar boat tragedy near Greece last year. “To prevent human trafficking, its perpetrators should be punished severely,” she added.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released the list of 47 rescued Pakistanis. The list is based on the interviews conducted by the Embassy of Pakistan in Athens and the information shared by the Greek authorities. Following are the names of Pakistanis who were rescued: 1-Umer Farooq, 2-Muhammad Ahmad Shahzad, 3-Mohsan Riaz, 4-Taja, 5 Raja Sajid, 6-Raka Omar Nasir, 7-Mehtab Rafaqat, 8-Amir Habib, 9-Muhammad Safdar, 10-Nayyab Ahmed,-11 Nadeem Ahmed, 12-Umair Ahsan, 13-Muhamad Bilal, 14-Rahat Dilawar, 15-Manzar Ali,16-Ahmed Mukhtar,17-Haroon Ashgar, 18-Muzamil Hussain, 19-Jamshaid Ali, 20-Jafar Iqbal, 21-Muhammad Majid, 22-Muhmmad Salman, 23-Qasim Ali, 24-Muhammad Abdullah, 25-Osama Ali, 26-Husnain Zafar Iqbal, 27-Muhammad Hammad, 28-Hassan Ali, 29-Bilal Hussain, 30-Sarmad Akbar, 31-Usman Ahmad, 32-Shoaib Mushtaq, 33-Abdul Hanan, 34-Ali Hamza, 35-Fahad Ali, 36-Muhammad Imran, 37-Abdul Latif Rehman, 38-Salman Khalid, 39-Harmain Ali, 40-Zain Ali, 41-Usama Basharat, 42-Mirza Kamran, 43-Muhammad Waqas, 44-Syfyan Zulfiqar,45 -Tahir Raza, 46-Shahroz Ali, 47-Shazeel Ahmed.