A religious edict (fatwa) issued by Mufti Raghib Hussain Naeemi and Mufti Imran Hanfi from Lahore’s Jamia Naeemia declares that using illegal means to travel abroad violates Islamic law (Shariah). The decree emphasizes that risking one’s life or committing suicide is strictly forbidden in Islam and urges individuals to rely solely on legal and safe methods for international travel.
The fatwa also denounces agents or middlemen who charge money to facilitate illegal travel, calling such actions unlawful. It further recommends the government enact stringent laws against these practices to protect innocent lives.
The decree follows a tragic boat accident off Morocco’s coast, where a vessel carrying 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis, capsized on January 2. Moroccan authorities reported at least 50 fatalities, with 36 individuals rescued.
Human trafficking and migrant boat tragedies continue to claim lives, with at least 80 Pakistanis perishing in a similar incident near Greece in December 2024. One of the deadliest migrant tragedies occurred in 2023, when a fishing trawler overloaded with migrants sank in the Mediterranean near Greece, resulting in the deaths of hundreds, including 262 Pakistanis.
