At Least 16 Pakistanis Die in Migrant Boat Sinking Off Libya’s Coast

At Least 16 Pakistanis Die in Migrant Boat Sinking Off Libya’s Coast

Islamabad: At least 16 Pakistani nationals have died, and 10 others are missing after a migrant boat bound for Europe sank off the coast of Libya. The incident occurred in the Marsa Dela port area of Zawiya, a city in western Libya. The country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Tuesday that 37 survivors have been rescued, of whom 33 are in police custody and one is receiving treatment at a hospital. It is believed that there were 65 passengers on the boat.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief over the loss of life in the incident and called for action against those involved in human trafficking. He instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to confirm the identities of the victims and provide assistance to the affected families.

Most of the victims came from the Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a region recently known for sectarian violence. Locals have reported that people often attempt to travel to Europe through illegal means due to unemployment in the country.

This is not the first such incident. Earlier in January, many Pakistanis died when a migrant boat sank off the coast of West Africa. Every year, many Pakistani citizens lose their lives while trying to reach Europe through human smugglers.

Libya, which has become a major transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty from Africa and the Middle East to Europe, has seen at least 674 migrant deaths and more than 1,000 people missing in 2024.

International organizations have raised concerns over the human rights violations and inhumane treatment of migrants detained in Libya, where they face forced labor, beatings, rapes, and torture.