GUJRANWALA: Four youths, who had died in a road accident in the city of Shiraz, Iran, on their way to enter Europe illegally, were laid to rest on Sunday at their village Wadala Sandhawan on the Pasroor Road.

They were identified as Shahzad, son of Yaqoob, Adnan, son of Akhter Hussain, Sajid Hussain, son of Abdul Rashid and Sajawal Mehmood, son of Akram. All of them were 20 to 22 years of age.

Federal Investigation Agency Gujranwala Deputy Director Khurram Saeed told Dawn the deceased were attempting to cross into Greece via Iran and Turkey by road. They had paid Rs200,000 each to a human trafficker, Imran Meo, while they had to pay more amount to him after reaching the destination. They were travelling towards the Turkish border by a mini truck that collided with an oil tanker near Shiraz and they all died on the spot.

Mr Saeed said the Iranian authorities had informed their Pakistani counterparts about the accident and handed over the bodies.

Police said an FIR has been registered against human trafficker Imran Meo and raids are being conducted for his arrest.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2014