MANDI BAHAUDDIN, Nov 23: Five of the 14 local youth desirous of going to Greece died from cold when human smugglers left them at the mercy of extreme weather on the Iran-Turkey border. Two of their companions also went missing in the snowstorm.

The survivors told newsmen at the local press club on Tuesday that Javed and Afzal made a deal with 14 youth - Riaz Ahmad, Amjad Ali, Imran, Naeem Anjum, Nadeem, Allah Ditta, Waheed Ahmad, Amjad Husain, Anwar Husain, Khizar Hayat, Asghar Ali and Zulfiqar Khan of Mandi Bahauddin and Nasir and Afzal of Gujrat - to take them to Greece on payment of Rs300,000 each. They received Rs30,000 each as advance.

They alleged that during the second week of Ramazan, the agents took them to Iran from where they were to cross Turkish border on foot. While crossing the hilly area known as Chand Tara Hill, they were caught in a snowstorm.

The agents left them in the lurch and escaped. Five of the youth, including Imran, Riaz Ahmad, Asghar and Khizar Hayat, died while two others went missing. Agents Javed and Afzal appeared again and charged $400 from each of the survivors to bring them back to Quetta.