The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has confirmed the deaths of at least 7 Pakistanis in a boat capsizing incident near Libya. Seven of the victims have been identified through their passports, with six hailing from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, and one from Bajaur district.
The tragic incident occurred near the port of Marsa Dela, located northwest of Zawiya City. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the boat, which was carrying approximately 65 passengers, capsized on February 9, 2025. The Pakistan Embassy in Tripoli has dispatched a team to Zawiya Hospital to assist in identifying the victims, and the Crisis Management Unit (CMU) was activated to manage the situation. Authorities have set up helplines for families to seek information.
This incident adds to a growing list of migrant boat tragedies, with dozens of Pakistanis having lost their lives in similar incidents in recent months. In January 2025, more than 40 Pakistanis died when a boat carrying irregular migrants from Mauritania to Spain capsized. Additionally, over 80 Pakistanis drowned near Greece in December 2024.
The rising number of such tragedies highlights the dangerous reality of illegal migration. Driven by socio-economic factors and the promise of a better life abroad, many Pakistanis continue to risk their lives by paying human traffickers for passage to Europe. The Pakistani government, under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has vowed to take strict action against human traffickers and the officials who facilitate them. As part of this effort, 35 FIA officials have been dismissed, and former FIA Director General Ahmad Ishaq Jahangir was removed due to slow progress in investigations related to these boat disasters.
In addition, Lahore’s Jamia Naeemia issued a religious edict declaring that using illegal means to travel abroad is not only unlawful but also against Sharia law.
