Greece boat accident: Interior minister assures stern action against human smugglers

Greece boat accident: Interior minister assures stern action against human smugglers

Islamabad (Web Desk):Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Tuesday assured that the government would take strict action about Greek Ship accident and investigation report would be submitted within a week by duly fixing responsibility on those involved in negligence.

In response to the Greek ship accident, a committee had been constituted under strict directives of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif commenced its investigation, he said while talking to a private news channel.

“The investigation committee will present its report in a week and further action will be taken by the federal
government”, he added.

He said the committee will ascertain facts of the Greece boat tragedy besides identifying loopholes and lapses in the legal mechanism in Pakistan that exposed precious human lives to the vagaries of human trafficking in this particular case and similar incidents in the past.

The committee will also analyze similar past incidents and actions will be taken according to the legal framework, adding, International coordination will also help to prevent, control, and punish human smuggling in the future, he added.

The government will also review short-term and long-term legislation to curb the issue besides envisaging laws for giving penalties to the people responsible for such kinds of incidents, he further mentioned.

According to media reports, more than 300 Pakistanis were among those who died after a boat packed with migrants capsized off the coast of Greece last week.

The death toll in the disaster could top many hundred as witness accounts suggested that 400 to 750 people packed the fishing boat that sank about 50 miles (80km) from the southern Greek town of Pylos.

As per the Greek authorities, 104 survivors and 78 bodies of the dead were brought ashore in the immediate aftermath. Hopes were fading of finding any more people alive.

Most of the people on board were from Egypt, Syria and Pakistan, Greek government officials have said.