Pakistan’s prime minister declares day of mourning for residents who died in migrant boat sinking

ISLAMABAD — Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday declared a nationwide day of mourning for residents who died when the fishing trawler full of migrants they had been in sank off the Greek coast.

As many as 750 males, ladies and youngsters from Syria, Egypt, the Palestinian territories and Pakistan had been on board the vessel, making an attempt to succeed in kinfolk in Europe. The Greek coast guard has defended its response to the tragedy that left greater than 500 migrants presumed drowned. The vessel sank on Wednesday.

Sharif expressed his grief over the tragedy and mentioned Monday could be noticed as a day of mourning, with the nationwide flag flying at half-staff.

He beforehand mentioned that Pakistan’s embassy in Athens has recognized 12 nationals who had been rescued by the coast guard. There was no official data on what number of Pakistanis had been onboard the vessel, what number of survived or what number of perished.

Greek authorities have been criticized for his or her failure to behave extra shortly. They say the migrants insisted they didn’t want any assist, however non-governmental organizations say they obtained plenty of requires assist. The sinking was one of many worst disasters of its form this 12 months.

Meanwhile, police in Pakistan-administered Kashmir mentioned Sunday they arrested 12 folks concerned in sending native youths to Libya for the onward journey to Europe.

Senior officer Khalid Chauhan mentioned police picked up the suspects amid a crackdown on human traffickers. Police are interrogating them for his or her alleged roles in luring, trapping and sending locals overseas after extracting large quantities of cash from them.

Around 28 folks from the Koi Ratta space within the district of Kotli have gone to Libya for onward journey to Europe, police mentioned. Local official Chaudhry Haq Nawaz mentioned there was nonetheless no affirmation on what number of younger males from the realm had been onboard the ill-fated boat, or what number of are among the many useless or lacking.

He mentioned efforts are underway to gather kinfolk’ DNA and the check outcomes might be despatched to Greece to assist determine victims.

People have been providing their help to kinfolk of these presumed to have been on the boat.

Raja Sakundar, of Bindian village in Kotli, mentioned his 4 nephews aged 18 to 36 stay lacking.

“We were informed by the media (of the tragedy). When children are not found or die, you can understand what a parent goes through,” he mentioned.

Raja Muhammad Majeed requested the Pakistani authorities to convey again his nephew, Raja Awais.