Islamabad: Pakistan authorities, Tuesday, said the number of suspects arrested in connection with last year’s Libya migrant boat tragedy has risen to 144 after fresh arrests.
Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) spokesperson said among the arrested individuals, 16 were previously declared absconders.
At least seven Pakistani nationals died in the boat wreck off the coast of Libya in February 2023, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
Key developments
The FIA had registered 197 cases related to the Libya boat accident while the passports of 55 suspects involved in the boat accident were blacklisted.
The fresh arrests included high-profile human traffickers listed in the Red Book.
The crime watchdog said efforts have been intensified against international agents involved in human trafficking.
Arrests of overseas human traffickers are being made with the assistance of Interpol, it said.
Moreover, red notices have been issued for the arrest of 20 agents abroad who were involved in human trafficking.
FIA DG Ahmad Ishaq Jahangir said in a statement that all resources will be utilised to apprehend agents involved in the boat accident.
“The identity cards and bank accounts of the suspects should be immediately blocked,” he said, adding “The process of blacklisting the passports of facilitators involved in the boat accidents is ongoing”.
Officers at all airports in the country must ensure strict monitoring to arrest the agents, the top official said.
The identity cards and bank accounts of the suspects should be immediately blocked.” – FIA DG Ahmad Ishaq Jahangir
“Airport in-charges must ensure that no agent escapes abroad”, Jahangir said.
Crackdown ordered
Separately, Pakistan authorities arrested 10 alleged human traffickers after it emerged that many of the dozens of migrants and refugees who drowned off Greece’s coast on June 14, 2023 were from the South Asian nation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also ordered an immediate crackdown on agents engaged in human smuggling, saying they would be “severely punished”.
