Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday directed law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to trace those involved in human smuggling.
On Wednesday, an overloaded boat — with around 750 people on board according to a European rescue support charity — sank in open seas off Greece. Many Pakistanis are feared dead although the exact number has not yet been officially confirmed.
Officials said nine people had been detained in Azad Jammu and Kashmir – home to a majority of the victims – and one in Gujrat, a city that has long served as a springboard for migrants.
“They are presently under investigation for their involvement in facilitating the entire process,” said Chaudhary Shaukat, a local official from Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
In a joint statement, the International Organization for Migration and UN Refugee Agency said between 400 to 750 people were believed to be aboard the ferry.
On Saturday, Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs said 12 nationals had survived, but they had no information on how many were aboard the boat.
“The Prime Minister has given a firm directive to intensify efforts in combating individuals involved in the heinous crime of human trafficking,” his office said in a statement.
A combination of political turmoil and an economy on the brink of collapse drives tens of thousands of Pakistanis to leave the country – legally and illegally.
Young men, primarily from eastern Punjab and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, often use a route through Iran, Libya, Turkiye and Greece to unlawfully enter Europe.
