The Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) registered a First Information Report (FIR) against human smugglers. Involved in sending the youths from various cities of Punjab and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) to Italy via Greece and Libya.
As massive crackdown against human traffickers was launched on Sunday with an FIR by FIA. With some arrests after Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced a high-level investigation to trace the human traffickers behind the incident and declared a national day of mourning. A ship carrying migrants including Pakistanis sank off the coast of Greece on June 14, leaving several dead and missing. At least 78 people were drowned when the ill-fated boat with reportedly 400 to 750 people onboard sank in the Mediterranean Sea near the Greek coast. Meanwhile, some 104 people were rescued and sent to Kalamata, Greece.
The FIR was registered on behalf of sub-inspector based on the statements of victims’ families. The FIR stated that agents took Rs2.4 million from youths. The investigative agency nominated travel agents including Nadeem Aslam, Muhammad Aslam, Mumtaz, Asfi Suniyara and Rana Hasnain. The FIA Human Trafficking Gujarat Circle has arrested an agent involved in sending people to Greece. The FIR stated that the agent took Rs2.3 million from the people.
Inquiry team starts working
The inquiry committee has been given one week to submit its report.
The notification further stated that the committee’s responsibilities include determining the facts of the Greece boat tragedy. Identifying loopholes and lapses in Pakistan’s legal and enforcement mechanisms that exposed precious human lives to human trafficking. Analyzing similar past incidents and actions taken, assessing the existing legal framework and enforcement measures. And preparing short- and long-term recommendations to combat human trafficking. Including legislation, awareness campaigns, and improvement of national and international coordination.
The goal is to apprehend agents, facilitators, masterminds, and criminal networks involved in human trafficking and eradicate this menace.
He said efforts are under way to collect relatives’ DNA and the test results will be sent to Greece to help identify victims. People have been offering their support to relatives of those presumed to have been on the boat.