CHAGAI: Iranian border force has arrested 31 Pakistani citizens who had illegally crossed border into Iran, ARY News reported on Tuesday.
Iran’s officials handed over the detained persons to Pakistan’s border officials, who had crossed into the country in hope to illegally emigrate to Europe for economic reasons.
Several intending emigrants in search of greener pastures travel on Iran, Turkey and Greece route from Pakistan to enter into Europe.
The border officials have handed over 31 persons, expelled from Iran, to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for investigation, authorities said.
The issue of illegal immigrants has highlighted on global level with recent boat sinking incident near the coast of Greece, in which several Pakistani nationals have reported died.
At least 78 people were drowned when an ill-fated boat with reportedly 400 to 750 people onboard sank in the Mediterranean Sea near the Greece coast. Some 104 people were rescued and sent to Kalamata, Greece, as per to the latest media reports.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced to observe mourning day on Monday (today) and constituted a four-member high-level committee to probe into the death of dozens of Pakistanis in the tragedy.
