ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said the Pakistani diplomatic mission in Tripoli got in touch with its nationals currently detained in Libyan jails and was making efforts for their prompt repatriation.
The Foreign Office said Pakistan’s Mission in Libya is in contact with International Organization for Migration (IOM) for early repatriation of Pakistani nationals detained in Benghazi.
In a statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at the instructions of the Foreign Minister, Pakistan’s Charge d’affaires in Tripoli, Ashiq Ali, visited the detention centre in Benghazi and met with detainees of Pakistani origin. He also provided them food and basic necessities.
The spokesperson said Pakistan Mission is also in contact with the United Nations medical team for routine medical check-ups and provision of medicines to the detainees.
Earlier, it was reported that more than 15,000 Pakistanis who were trying to enter Europe illegally are detained in Libyan jails for several months.
In a video that went viral on social media, a prisoner revealed that several inmates were sick and some of them are in critical condition. He said that children were also among the other prisoners and they have no access to medicine or food.
He said human traffickers brought them in the hope to cross into Europe but were stranded in Libya and later detained by the Libyan authorities.
The prisoner appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to provide assistance otherwise they could die in the detention centre. It was also reported that over 2000 Pakistanis who were attempting to move to Italy illegally were detained in Libyan jails.
In a horrific incident, an Italy-bound boat reportedly carrying around 750 people including at least 350 Pakistanis capsized off the coast of Greece. There were 104 people who survived the tragic incident. The government launched a campaign against human traffickers who promise to send people to European countries.
