PM chairs high-level meeting on Greece boat tragedy

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting regarding human smuggling and the recent capsizing of a boat in the Mediterranean near Greece, in Islamabad. The premier was briefed in detail regarding the Greece shipwreck and the PM directed authorities to bring those responsible for the boat incident to justice as soon as possible. The meeting was attended by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi, DG FIA, chief secretary Azad Jammu and Kashmir and relevant senior officials. Participants of the meeting were told that the Greek Coast Guard identified the boat on June 12, which was estimated to have around 700 people on board. The boat was owned by an Egyptian man with most of the people on board belonging to Syria, Libya and Pakistan. Read Nation observes day of mourning Hundred-and-four people from the boat have been rescued alive out of which 15 belong to Pakistan, the participants were further told. Moreover, it was revealed that a total of 15 people have been arrested after the boat overturned, including the main suspect in the incident. The premier was further informed that an organised network in different countries is involved in human trafficking. “Why were the activities of human traffickers not stopped in time,” the PM questioned during the meeting. Shehbaz expressed his anger and further questioned why administrations of the affected people's districts did not take timely notice of the activities of the involved smugglers and agents. He also instructed the investigation committee to complete the action and submit a report on the incident soon. PM Shehbaz also directed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to fully supervise the investigation and formulate proposals for necessary legislation to punish those responsible. Read More 16 Pakistanis survive Italy shipwreck Moreover, directing the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to take adequate measures, the premier instructed commissioner Gujranwala to identify such agents in the district and bring them under the law soon and to take effective measures to prevent it. A day earlier, the “prime accused” responsible for human trafficking which led to the incident, Mumtaz Arain, was arrested after instructions from Punjab Inspector General (IG) Dr Usman Anwar. The death toll in the disaster could top many hundred as witness accounts suggested that 400 to 750 people packed the fishing boat that sank about 50 miles (80km) from the southern Greek town of Pylos. Greek authorities have said 104 survivors and 78 bodies of the dead were brought ashore in the immediate aftermath. Hopes were fading of finding any more people alive.

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