ISLAMABAD — A tragic incident occurred over the weekend off the Libyan coast, resulting in the deaths of at least 16 Pakistanis as a boat carrying numerous migrants bound for Europe sank. As of Tuesday, officials reported that 10 individuals remain missing, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicating that among the 37 survivors, 33 are currently in the custody of Libyan police, while one is receiving treatment in a hospital. The vessel was overloaded, with an estimated 65 people on board.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his profound sorrow over the loss of life in this marine disaster at Marsa Dela port in Zawiya. He instructed the Foreign Ministry to expedite the identification of the victims and extend assistance to their families. Additionally, he mandated that action be taken against individuals engaged in the “heinous acts” of human trafficking, as stated in an official communication.
Many of the deceased hailed from Kurram, a district situated in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which shares a border with Afghanistan. This region has witnessed significant violence in recent years due to sectarian strife. A relative of one of the victims, Javed Hussain, remarked that many individuals resort to illegal migration routes to Europe due to rampant unemployment in Pakistan. He noted that mourners have been gathering to pay their respects at the homes of those who lost their lives in this latest maritime tragedy.
Earlier this year, rumors surfaced that several Pakistanis perished when a similar incident unfolded off the coast of West Africa, resulting in claims from survivors that smugglers had murdered 43 migrants amid a dispute regarding payment. Authorities in Pakistan later confirmed the deaths of 13 nationals from that incident. Tragically, hundreds of Pakistanis succumb to perilous voyages each year while attempting to reach Europe, often under the guidance of human traffickers. The treacherous land and sea routes taken are driven by the desperate search for employment opportunities.
Libya, possessing boundaries with six countries and an extensive Mediterranean coastline, has become a chaotic hotspot for migrants since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising, which led to the ousting and death of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. This turmoil has made Libya a primary transit country for individuals fleeing violence and poverty across Africa and the Middle East, in their quest for a better life in Europe.
Recently, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that in 2024, at least 674 migrants were confirmed dead, with over 1,000 still unaccounted for in the waters off Libya. More than 21,700 migrants were intercepted and sent back to the troubled nation. In the previous year, the IOM documented 962 deaths and 1,563 missing migrants, with around 17,200 more intercepted.
Returned migrants often find themselves in government-operated detention centers notorious for severe abuses, including forced labor, physical assaults, sexual violence, and torture—actions classified as crimes against humanity by U.N.-supported investigators. Such abuses are frequently coupled with efforts to extort money from the families of detained migrants as a condition for their release or to facilitate their dangerous passage to Europe through traffickers’ boats.
