Eight Pakistani nationals who survived last month’s deadly migrant boat accident near Morocco have returned to Pakistan, officials confirmed on Saturday. The survivors landed in Islamabad on flight QR614, where authorities began questioning them about their ill-fated journey.
The returnees, aged between 21 and 41, were identified as Muhammad Afzal, Muhammad Adeel, Irfan Ahmed, Arsalan, Ghulam Mustafa, Badr Mohiuddin, Mujahid Ali, and Tasveer Ahmed. They come from different regions of Punjab, including Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, and Jhelum.
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The group had been attempting to enter Spain illegally, travelling through Dubai and Senegal. On January 16, a boat carrying 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis, capsized off the coast of Morocco. The boat had set sail from Mauritania on January 2. Moroccan authorities were able to rescue 36 survivors from the wreckage.
Investigations suggest the migrants paid large sums to human smugglers for the perilous journey, which included physical abuse by the traffickers. The smugglers initially sent them to Dubai on visit visas before routing them through Ethiopia and Senegal, where they boarded the ill-fated boat. The authorities are now focusing on dismantling the trafficking network believed to be operating from various regions in Punjab.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is working to combat these human trafficking networks, which exploit vulnerable individuals seeking a better life abroad. The recent migrant boat tragedy has also led to the removal of FIA Director General Ahmed Ishaque Jehangir, who faced criticism over the agency’s handling of trafficking cases.
