RAWALPINDI/GUJRAT: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has dismissed 13 of its officials and stopped promotions of three constables said to be involved in the Greek boat tragedy in 2024, a day before the repatriation of Pakistani survivors of the Mauritania-Morocco boat tragedy is set to begin.

Five Pakistani citizens perished after their boats capsized near Greek islands in December 2024. More than 80 Pakistanis, including minors, were aboard the unfortunate vessels, which capsized in the Mediterranean.

Earlier, 37 officials suspected to involvement in these incidents were dismissed from their service. According to the FIA, action against officials is being carried out on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The move against the 13 officials came after FIA DG Ahmed Ishaq Jahangir held departmental proceedings against them. A spokesman said that eight constables, two head constables, one inspector, and two sub-inspectors were fired. The DG also issued directives to stop the promotion of three constables.

Repatriation of survivors, bodies from Morocco begins today

Survivors’ return

Meanwhile, 22 survivors of the Atlantic boat tragedy will start arriving at Islamabad airport aboard Qatar Airways and Emirates flights from Jan 30.

Official sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and interior ministry told Dawn that the first batch comprising seven survivors, namely Mohammad Asif, Mudassar Hussain, Abbas Kazmi, Amir Ali, Uzair Basharat, Imran Iqbal and Shoaib Zafar would depart from Moro­cco’s Casablanca airport on Wednesday and would reach Islamabad on Thursday.

A second batch comprising eight survivors, namely Abdul Ghaffar, Shamir Gul, Waseem Khalid, Muhammad Khaliq, Bilawal Iqbal, Ali Hassan, Syed Mehtabul Hassan and Umar Farooq would depart from Moro­cco on Jan 30 and reach at Islamabad on Jan 31.

The third batch comprising Mohammad Afzal, Irfan Ahmed, Mohammad Adeel, Mohammad Arslan, Tanveer Ahmed, Ghulam Mustafa, Mujahid Ali and Syed Badar Mohyuddin would depart from Moro­cco on Jan 31 and arrive at Islamabad airport on Feb 1.

Morrocan authorities will also dispatch the bodies of at least 10 deceased of the Mauritania boat tragedy after their identity is ascertained, official sources said.

An FIA official said investigation of the boat tragedy revealed that most of these survivors had been sent abroad by the notorious human trafficker Fahad alias Fahdi Gujjar of Jaura Karnana village of Gujrat district.

He said other human traffickers linked to the Morrocan boat tragedy were Waqar, Aftab, Maulvi Usman and Saqib Bhatti whereas one of the agents namely Abu Bakar had been killed on the same boat.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2025