Bodies of 6 Pakistani victims in Libya boat capsize repatriated to Islamabad

The remains of six Pakistani nationals out of 16 who lost their lives in a boat incident off Libya’s coast earlier this month arrived in Islamabad on Thursday.

Sixteen Pakistanis had been confirmed dead as a vessel carrying approximately 70 passengers, including reportedly 63 Pakistanis, capsized off the coast of Libya’s Zawiya city. While the Foreign Office had said 37 survivors were identified, at least 10 Pakistanis had remained missing.

Most of the deceased individuals belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, which has been marred with violence and had faced food shortages due to road blockades.

The remains of the six Pakistanis — five of whom hailed from Kurram and one from KP’s Orakzai district — reached Islamabad at 7:25am today via Qatar Airways Flight QR614.

Those from Kurram were namely Musawir Hussain, son of Sher Mehdi; Shoaib Ali, son of Muhammad Ali; Abid Hussain, son of Muhammad Hassan; Musab Hussain, son of Jamil Hussain; and Shoaib Hussain, son of Noor Ali.

The sixth body was of Muhammad Ali Shah, son of Abdullah Shah, who hailed from Orakzai.

Minister for Housing and Works Riaz Hussain Pirzada was present to receive the bodies, ensuring that all necessary arrangements were in place for their onward transfer to their hometowns.

The repatriation was facilitated by the government after formalities were completed by the Pakistani Mission in Tripoli, Libya.

Facilitation desks were set up at the airport for the grieving families, who were handed over their relatives’s bodies. Ambulances were arranged to transport the remains to Peshawar.

The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), in coordination with relevant authorities, arranged onward transportation of the bodies to their hometowns via road. A standby medical team was also deployed to assist bereaved families during the process.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the families of the deceased and ensuring the safe repatriation of all mortal remains of Pakistanis lost in the tragic incident.

The Libya boat incident was the third migrant tragedy in recent months. In January, at least 13 Pakistani nationals were confirmed dead after a boat carrying 80 passengers capsized near the Moroccan port of Dakhla.

In December, about 40 Pakistanis died in boat capsize incidents off the coast of Greece, with 35 of them presumed dead after going missing. According to the FO, 47 Pakistanis were among those rescued.

More than 350 Pakistanis lost their lives in 2023 when an overcrowded boat carrying hundreds of migrants sank en route to Greece from Tobruk, Libya.

In April of the same year, Pakistanis were among the dozens dead as two migrant boats sank in the Mediterranean off different towns in western Libya.

In February of that year, Pakistanis were among 59 people killed when a wooden sailing boat carrying migrants crashed against rocks on the southern Italian coast.

According to Pakistan’s National Commission for Human Rights, more than 6,000 Pakistanis attempted illegal journeys to Europe in 2023. However, some estimates place this figure significantly higher, with reports suggesting that up to 40,000 Pakistanis attempt these crossings annually.