The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday confirmed that 15 Pakistani nationals who survived a recent boat capsizing incident near the Dakhla port of Morocco have returned home safely.
The agency also revealed that human smugglers who sent Pakistanis to Spain through the North African country have also been identified and that raids are being conducted to arrest them.
An FIA spokesperson revealed that eight of these nationals returned home on Saturday morning after seven Pakistanis who had already returned home last night.
The ill-fated boat departed from Mauritania on January 2 with 86 migrants on board. Moroccan authorities reported that 66 of the passengers were Pakistani nationals and noted that it had rescued 36 people after the accident.
At least 50 people were killed in the incident.
The loss of life of Pakistanis in recent boat capsizing incidents while attempting to go abroad has prompted strong reaction from the government with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directing stern action against human smugglers and the officials who are involved in facilitating them.
Former FIA director general (DG) Ahmed Ishaque Jehangir’s removed 35 officials for facilitating the human smuggling mafia in illegal migration and failing to uphold their duties earlier this month.
