Boat Tragedy: PM resents over failure to pre-empt incident

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed displeasure over the law enforcement failure in thwarting human smugglers activities in time, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

“Why the local administrations of the districts, where the boat tragedy victims belong, were failed to take timely notice of the smugglers and their agents,” the PM questioned during a briefing on the tragedy in which several dozen innocent people of Pakistan lost lives.

The prime minister was informed in a detailed briefing that the Greek Coastguards informed about the boat with around 700 people onboard on June 12.

“The vessel was owned by an Egyptian and most of the people on board were from Syria, Libya and Pakistan,” the PM briefed.

“102 people of the boat were rescued, including 15 from Pakistan,” the meeting informed.

“After the boat incident overall 15 people have been arrested in a crackdown including main accused of the incident,” meeting told.

“An organized network, which exists in multiple countries, has been involved in human smuggling,” the meeting briefed.

PM Shehbaz while instructing an early completion of the detailed inquiry of the Mediterranean boat incident. He also directed the FIA to take effective preventive measures to curb human smuggling.

The prime minister directed the interior minister to monitor the probe thoroughly and compile proposals for necessary legislation to punish culprits.

He also directed Commissioner Gujranwala to trace the agents involved in the crime in the district and arresting them as soon as possible.