Tripoli: The bodies of six Pakistani nationals were shifted to Pakistan on Thursday in a tragic boat on the coast of the Libyan city of Zaviya. The remains arrived by Qatar Airways flight and was received by the bereaved families at Islamabad Airport.
The accident, which occurred earlier this month, included a boat of migrants, which included around 65 passengers, including 16 Pakistani nationals. While 37 Pakistanis survived this test, about 10 others are missing. The government was facilitated in the process of repatriation by the government of Pakistan, in which the rituals completed by the Pakistani mission in Tripoli were completed.
Minister for Housing and Works Riaz Hussain Pirzada was present at the airport to obtain the bodies. He expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and assured that all arrangements have been made to take the remains to their hometowns. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to help the families of the victims and to ensure the return of the remaining institutions.
The victims returning home were identified as Moseshir Hussain, Shoaib Ali, Mohammad Ali Shah, Abid Hussain, Mosab Hussain, and Shoaib Hussain, all belonging to the Kalam and Orakzai areas of Pakistan.
Earlier, the Foreign Office of Pakistan had confirmed that Libyan authorities recovered the bodies of at least 16 Pakistani nationals. The boat had parked near the port of Marsa Dela in the northwest of the city of Zaviya. In response to the devastation, the Pakistani government activated a crisis management cell to facilitate the return and help the families of the bereaved.
During his return, Riaz Hussain Pirzada highlighted the dangers of illegal migration, emphasizing that such tragedies act as a tragic reminder of the dangers involved. He urged the youth to find the legal ways of migration to prevent the loss of lives.
The bodies were handed over to their families, the Pakistani Foundation overseas monitored their transport to their hometowns. Ambulances and medical teams were deployed to help the bereaved families during the process.
Meanwhile, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Kohat Zone made significant progress in investigating the 2025 Libyan boat tragedy, in which two members of an international human trafficking network were arrested. The suspects, Habibar Rehman and Naveed Ahmed were arrested during a raid in Pasht Bazaar in Bajur.
According to officials, the suspects were part of a network operating with colleagues in Italy, including Wajid Ali and Shah Faisal. The group was involved in smuggling individuals from illegal sources to Europe. In the tragic boat crash, the lives of 14 people belonging to the Karam were claimed to have been misled by a dangerous journey.
