Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Tuesday confirmed the deaths of 16 Pakistani nationals in a boat capsizing incident off the coast of Libya.
Peshawar: According to media reports citing Foreign Office sources, the Pakistani Embassy in Tripoli visited the city of Zawia, where local authorities briefed embassy officials on the incident. As per their information, a total of 63 Pakistani migrants were onboard the boat. Among them, 16 lost their lives, while 37 survived—one of whom is hospitalised, and 33 are in police custody. So far, 10 Pakistani nationals remain missing. Reports also indicate that three survivors are currently with Pakistan Embassy staff in Tripoli.
The Pakistani Embassy in Tripoli is actively coordinating with local authorities to gather more information about the incident and locate the missing migrants. So far, seven of the deceased Pakistani nationals have been identified—six from the Kurram Tribal District and one from the Bajaur Tribal District.
Meanwhile, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials, in response to media inquiries, stated that the agency has launched a crackdown on human smuggling networks. In January 2025, the FIA arrested several traffickers, including 16 agents and 38 most-wanted individuals. The agency also confirmed the arrest of 16 agents linked to the 2024 Greece boat tragedy.
