The bodies of six Pakistani nationals who died in a boat tragedy off the coast of Zawiya City, Libya, were repatriated to Pakistan on Thursday. The remains arriving via a Qatar Airways flight were received at Islamabad’s airport by mourning families.
The tragic incident that took place earlier this month saw the capsizing of a wandering boat carry about 65 passengers, 16 of whom were Pakistani citizens. While 37 Pakistanis survived, almost 10 others remain missed.
The repatriation was relieved by Pakistan’s government with formalities ended by the Pakistani mission in Tripoli.
Minister of Housing and Works Riaz Hussain Pirzada was present at the airport to receive the bodies and offer compassion to the families. He assured that all events were made to make sure the bodies were transported to their hometowns.
Pirzada expressed the government’s obligation to support the families of this difficult time. “The tragedy that took place on February 5 has left many families in grief,” he said. “We stand with the victims’ families and want to secure the return of the remaining bodies.”
The repatriated bodies were identified as Musawir Hussain, Shoaib Ali, Muhammad Ali Shah, Abid Hussain, Musab Hussain and Shoaib Hussain. All six came from the Kurram and Orakzai regions in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s foreign office had previously confirmed that the Libyan authorities had recovered the bodies of at least 16 Pakistani citizens. The boat hijacked near the harbor of Marsa Dela, located northwest of Zawiya City. In response, the Pakistani government activated a crisis management cell to help the grieving families and facilitate the repatriation process.
Riaz Hussain Pirzada also highlighted the dangers of illegal migration and called the incident a tragic lesson. “This tragedy illustrates the risk of trying to reach Europe through illegal routes,” he said, calling on youth to pursue legal migration options.
The bodies were handed over to their families and the overseas Pakistanis fund arranged their transport to the victims’ hometown. Ambulances and medical teams were also deployed to help the grieving families during the repatriation process.
Earlier, in a major breakthrough in the investigation of the Libya -boat tragedy in 2025, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested the Kohat zone two members of an international trafficking.
The Suspects, Habibur Rehman and Naveed Ahmed, were arrested in a Raid by Pusht Bazaar, Bajaur.
According to officials, the arrested persons were part of a network that operated along with accomplice based in Italy, including Wajid Ali and Shah Faisal. The gang was involved in smuggling people into Europe through illegal channels. The tragic boat accident claimed the life of 14 victims from Kurram who were lured into the dangerous journey.
