Eight Pakistanis who survived last month’s tragic migrant boat accident near Morocco have returned home, confirmed officials on Saturday.
The survivors arrived at Islamabad on Flight QR614, where the authorities began to question them about their journey.
The returns have been identified as Muhammad Afzal, Muhammad Adeel, Irfan Ahmed, Arsalan, Ghulam Mustafa, Bad Mohiuddin, Mujahid Ali and Tasveer Ahmed.
Their ages vary between 21 and 41, and they come from Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat and Jhelum.
Officials revealed that these persons were trying to enter Spain illegally via Dubai and Senegal.
On January 16, a boat bearing irregular migrants from Mauritania to Spain, the coast of Morocco enclosed. The boat, which had left Mauritania on January 2nd, transported 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis.
Moroccan authorities reported that the incident took place near Dakhla, where 36 survivors were rescued.
The original studies suggest that they had paid human smugglers large sums for the journey.
The traffickers reportedly sent them to Dubai at a visit to visit before conducting them through Ethiopia and Senegal.
From Senegal, the group was put on a boat tied to Spain. Survivors claimed that smugglers exposed them to physical abuse for the fatal sailing.
The authorities are now collecting information about the human trafficking network, which is believed to operate from different regions of Punjab.
Officials have called on citizens to avoid illegal migration routes and verify travel arrangements through official embassies.
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) remains efforts to conduct trading in vulnerable persons seeking opportunities abroad.
Earlier this week, the federal government had removed FIA Head of Director Ahmed Ishaque Jehangir, citing serious administrative failure.
Jehangir’s dismissal came in the midst of increasing criticism of FIA’s handling of human trafficking cases, especially its slow reaction to recent migrant boat tragedies. Sources show that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the decision following concern over FIA’s inability to limit illegal migration networks.
