An overloaded migrant boat carrying at least 209 Pakistani migrants capsized and sank in the open seas off Greece last week, in what has become the worst maritime disaster in the Mediterranean Sea this year. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) revealed that 181 individuals hailed from Pakistan, while 28 were from Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The official death toll currently stands at 82, with 104 survivors, including 12 Pakistanis.
The FIA is conducting an investigation to verify the number of Pakistani victims. Meanwhile, grief envelops the village of Bandli, where up to 24 young men are feared to have perished. Families anxiously await news as they provide DNA samples to aid in the identification process. The harrowing accounts of last communications from loved ones evoke heartbreak and despair. Pakistan is grappling with a troubled economy, which has pushed many to embark on perilous journeys to Europe in search of better opportunities. As the nation mourns, calls for justice and a halt to human trafficking grow stronger, with demands for stricter punishments for those involved.