Tazeen Akhtar
Islamabad: 18 June 2023 -The unfortunate incident of illegal emigrants’ boat capsize near the coast of Greece took lives of dozens of Pakistanis who mainly hailed from Khui Ratta town of Azad Kashmir and Gujrat district of Punjab. 28 emigrants from Khui Ratta and 6 are from Gujrat among the victims. About 10 are from same extended family. Those who were about to send money for buying happiness have sent mourning only for their families.750 People were on, 104 saved, 78 Dead bodies recovered. The rest are still missing that clearly means they need our prayers to rest in eternal peace.
The agents who send the youth to Europe using illegal ways are from Gujrat, Gujranwala and Manddi Baha ud Din districts of North Punjab. Main agent is Sajid Mehmood who has been arrested at Karachi airport. He was trying to abscond to Azerbaijan.
The boat capsize instigated public protest in Athens where large number of people protested against the immigration policies of their government. The protestors were criticizing the government for not doing anything to save the lives of the people on the boat. The government has arrested 9 among the saved who are accused of making arrangements for the illegal emigrants to enter into Greece.
Greece government claims that the travelers did not accept help but the other sources contradict it providing the evidences of the authorities being alerted but did not respond accordingly. This is a controversy now when the heavy loss already occurred.
Commissioner Mirpur Azad Kashmir Ch Shaukat Ali has shared that the young boys left for Libya and Turkiye 3 months ago. They travel to these countries on legal documents but adopt illegal ways there to enter into Europe.
The official seemed to shift the responsibility to other countries whereas both countries always try to educate the people there not to be victim to death by using illegal methods to reach their destination of dreams.The authorities in Mirpur AJK, Gujrat, Gujranwala and Manddi Baha ud Din districts take action only when a tragedy happens and precious lives of youth are lost. They can not share any information about what they have done so far to convince the youth and their parents not to adopt life risking routes to Europe.
Many cases of exploitation, kidnap, torture for money have already been reported in Pakistani press and media but still neither the parents stop their sons nor the young people learn any lesson. Government of Pakistan and the local administrations of these districts including Jehlam and Rawalpindi should work upon the campaign to inform the youth about the risks to life in this deadly travel. Most of them are actually disposed off from unknown coastline of Libya to Italy and Greece via Mediterranean Sea.
It is right to make efforts for better future but losing the life is not a loss that can be recovered. The parents of the youth on board the unfortunate boat are crying now but they did not checked and rechecked that their sons are traveling on a safe route or not. What they expect now is only return of the dead bodies of their sons but even that is not sure. The identity is the hurdle.
The aspirant youth and other people destroy their ID Passports first when they start travel to the destination only to avoid deportation. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan through its Embassy in Athens is working upon ; First – What is the exact number of dead and alive Pakistanis, 2- How to identify the dead as Pakistanis and related to where and to who? The only option is DNA matching but it is not possible to be sure 100% and it will take a long time. The IDs and DNA are not completely digital in Pakistan.
MOFA Pakistan has shared only an email for information to the parents but parents in Pakistan are not users of digital technology. At the same time, there is no other option left for anyone to confirm the IDs and return the bodies.
Boat Capsize in Greece – 12 Pakistanis Survived – Identification of others Among 78 Dead Bodies On
