GUJRAT: Two young men belonging to Malakwal town of Mandi Bahauddin district have reportedly died in a bid to illegally cross into Greece from the Turkish border when their car fell into a ditch near Greece city of Kawala.

Their families have appealed to the federal government to make arrangements to bring the bodies back.

Hailing from Badshahpur locality of Malakwal, Asif Shah and Ali Raza had left their homes more than a month ago to reach Greece via Iran and Turkey with the help of a local human trafficker.

Families said that they had been informed that both Shah and Raza had died after crossing into Greece when the car they were on board fell into a ditch. They said Greece authorities had shifted their bodies to a hospital in Kawala city.

Quoting reports from Greece, families said the accident took place when the driver pressed the accelerator further to avoid police.

Asif Shah left three minor children, wife and parents to mourn his death. Around three people of Malakwal and six of Gujrat district had lost their lives along with others when some terrorists had opened fire on their convoys in Balochistan last month.

They were also on way to Greece through the illegal channel.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2017