Smuggler in migrant boat tragedy arrested at Islamabad airport
On February 1st,The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) announced it has arrested a human smuggler who facilitated the Moroccan migrant boat tragedy.
According to Arab News, the boat departed from Mauritania on January 2nd,with Pakistan’s foreign office later confirming that a migrant boat with several Pakistanis aboard had sunk near the coast of Morocco on their way to Spain. Moroccan authorities stated 36 people were rescued from the vessel, although the boat had 86 migrants on board.
The FIA named the smuggler as Abdul Ghaffar, who was arrested at Islamabad Airport on January 31st.
Ghaffar had been living in Mauritania since 2023 in which time he facilitated the sending of several Pakistanis to Europe. The accused’s father, Muhammad Sarfraz and close relative Munir Ahmed have allegedly been involved in human trafficking in Mauritania dating as far back as 2018.
Ghaffar was caught after he arrived in Islamabad with seven passengers, these passengers aided authorities in identifying him.
“Important evidence was recovered from Adul Ghaffar, the agent involved in human trafficking,” stated the FIA.
“The suspects helped Pakistanis onto boats by luring them with promises of sending them to Europe, which resulted in the deaths of several Pakistanis,” said the agency
A case has been registered against Ghaffar and further investigations are have begun, with the agency vowing to take strict actions against human smugglers, aided by Ghaffar’s interrogation.
This tragedy showcased the dangerous journeys many migrants are faced with when fleeing their home countries. These migrant boats are historically so unsafe due to extreme overcrowding and a lack of safety regulations, allowing smugglers make as much money as possible in one trip.
Arab News, Pakistan Today, Maghrebi
