ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif instructed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan to oversee the investigation and develop necessary legislative proposals to effectively combat human trafficking.
He also urged the committee investigating the Greece shipwreck incident to expedite its proceedings and present a report promptly.
Chairing a high-level meeting to address the Greece boat incident, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his dismay over the failure to prevent criminal activities related to human smuggling. He questioned the lack of concrete preventive measures despite repeated incidents of this nature.
The Prime Minister demanded that all those involved in human smuggling be brought to justice without delay, and he instructed the relevant authorities to take immediate action.
The meeting, attended by Federal Ministers Rana Sanaullah and Marriyum Aurangzeb, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatimi, DG FIA, Chief Secretary Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and other senior officials, focused on the latest developments regarding the tragic incident.
The Mediterranean Sea boat sinking near Greece on June 14 resulted in 104 survivors, including 12 individuals from Pakistan, while the bodies of 79 victims have been recovered thus far.
The meeting highlighted the round-the-clock operations of a coordination cell established within the Ministry of Interior, which allows families of missing persons to seek assistance at any time.
It was reported that ten First Information Reports (FIRs) had been registered following the incident, leading to the arrest of 15 individuals, including the main suspect.
Authorities revealed that an organized network spanning multiple countries is involved in human trafficking activities.
The Prime Minister instructed the FIA to conduct a comprehensive investigation promptly and implement effective measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the Commissioner of Gujranwala to identify and promptly apprehend the agents responsible for heinous acts of human trafficking in the district.
He stressed the importance of maintaining constant communication with the victims’ families and instructed relevant institutions to remain in contact. Additionally, he urged the Pakistani embassy in Greece to establish continuous contact with Greek authorities regarding the incident.
