ISLAMABAD , June 17, 2023: National Assembly Speaker Raja Parvez Ashraf has asked the government to take firm action against the human smugglers as over 290 Pakistanis are feared dead in a shipwreck in south of Greece.
During a session of the assembly, the chair expressed concern over the death of migrants including those from Pakistan in the boat accident. He said the government should take notice of the incident, saying the human smuggling was a grave crime.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office said a total of 12 Pakistanis were identified among the survivors of the capsized boat off the coast of Greece, but so far the number and identity of Pakistani nationals among the deceased was not yet verified.
FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, in a press statement, said the Pakistan Mission in Greece under the leadership of Ambassador Aamar Aftab remained in contact with the local authorities for identification and recovery of Pakistani nationals among the deceased and providing relief to the survivors.
“Our Mission also remains in contact with the Greek authorities in the identification process of the 78 recovered bodies. This identification process will take place through DNA-matching with close family members (parents and children only),” the spokesperson further said.
Families of likely passengers on board the ill-fated boat were requested to contact Pak Mission in Greece on the 24/7 helpline numbers for verification purposes. They were also requested to share DNA reports from authenticated laboratories and the identity documents of the passenger at ‘info@pakistanembassy.gr’
The UN Human Rights officials said that up to 500 people were still missing from a migrant boat that sank off Greece. A number of women and children were among those missing in the “horrific tragedy” that left 78 people dead.
The fishing boat was carrying up to 750 people that went down 50 nautical miles off Pylos in southern Greece, according to international media.