• PM-led task force to combat human trafficking syndicates
• High-level probe team briefs top functionaries on findings from Morocco visit

GUJRAT: Authorities in Morocco and Pakistan have claimed the arrest of around half a dozen suspects said to be involved in an attempt to traffic around 65 Pakistanis from Mauritania to Europe, which resulted in the deaths of over 40 Pakistanis in the Atlantic Ocean earlier this month.

Most of the Pakistani victims on board the ill-fated vessel were murdered by African human traffickers, according to the findings of a high-ranking government team that was sent to Morocco to probe the Atlantic boat tragedy.

Sources privy to the findings of the high-level delegation said that the Moroccan navy had arrested at least half a dozen African human traffickers and legal proceedings had been initiated against them under local laws.

Separately, Federal Investi­gation Agency (FIA) officials claimed to have arrested at least five human traffickers, including two from Sialkot who are suspe­cted of sending one of the Morocco boat tragedy victims abroad.

The two men from Sialkot’s Sambrial tehsil are accused of being involved in the attempt to traffic Amir Ali — one of the men who perished on the ill-fated migrant boat — to Spain after extorting a sum of Rs5.3 million from him.

In addition, a spokesperson for FIA Gujranwala said that at least three other suspected traffickers, involved in different cases had been arrested during the raids at different locations in the region.

Task force formed

Also on Friday, PM Shehbaz Sharif formed a special task force — which he will lead — to combat human trafficking syndicates operating in Pakistan.

“We will bring the perpetrators involved in human trafficking to justice,” the prime minister resolved while chairing a meeting to review steps taken to curb human trafficking.

Stressing the need to accelerate action against those involved in human trafficking, the prime minister directed all relevant departments, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to play an active role in identifying human smugglers.

The meeting was informed that six organized human trafficking groups had been identified, 12 FIRs filed, 25 individuals identified, three key suspects arrested, and the names of 16 individuals had been added to the passport control list.

The meeting was also updated on actions taken against suspected FIA personnel and officers, and briefed on the report submitted by the high-powered overseas investigative committee.

Report from Morocco

Sources in the FIA privy to the findings of the government team that visited Morocco earlier this month told Dawn that survivors had narrated their ordeal at the hands of African human traffickers, who had allegedly tortured and murdered their compatriots before throwing their bodies into the sea.

The team, which included officials from the foreign ministry, FIA and Intelligence Bureau, spent four to five days in Morocco, has also briefed Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and is also expected to present its findings to the PM soon.

The government is expected to devise its formal stance on the Moroccan boat tragedy in light of the report.

In addition, preparations are underway to repatriate the Pakistani survivors, as well as the bodies of the deceased that were recovered from the ill-fated migrant vessel. Sources say that although legal formalities are being completed, but the timeframe for their repatriation was yet to be finalised.

As per media reports, at least 44 Pakistanis are feared dead, while the bodies of ten of the deceased are currently in a Moroccan hospital. Of them, eight have been identified, while the identities of the two remaining corpses will be determined through DNA testing.

With input from APP

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2025