An investigation into the recent Greece boat accident has revealed that several officers and officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) were involved in human trafficking, following which departmental action has been initiated against them.
In the first phase, 18 FIA officers and officials involved in the case have been expelled from the district, including a sub-inspector, three ASIs, 11 head constables and three constables. Sialkot Airport Additional Director (Immigration) Ali Zaidi has also been transferred.
All the suspected officers and officials were posted in Gujrat, Gujranwala and Sialkot, while a notification of their transfers has been issued. Kartarpur DD Muhammad Nauman has been given the additional charge of Sialkot airport.
Meanwhile, the FIA officers and officials found involved in the Greece boat accident reached the agency headquarters. They will appear before the DG in person and present their position.
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Reportedly, 38 officers and officials allegedly involved in the incident appeared before the FIA DG on being summoned, as the DG is set to personally investigate all these suspects. If found guilty, action would be taken against these officers and officials.
The 38 officers who appeared before the DG were posted in Karachi, Gujranwala, Multan and Faisalabad zones, and included inspectors, sub-inspectors, ASIs and officials.
Recently, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the prime minister regarding the deaths of Pakistanis in the boat accident in Greece and the prevention of human trafficking.
During the meeting, Shehbaz Sharif expressed anger over the slackness in taking action against the elements responsible after the 2023 boat accident, and directed action to be taken against the officers involved in the negligence.
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PM Sharif had said that a painful incident took place in the same area of Greece last year in which 262 Pakistanis had died. "Human trafficking brings shame to Pakistan worldwide, so concrete steps are needed to stop it," he had remarked, adding that the recurrence of such incidents due to the lack of action was a matter of concern.
On the other hand, the Spanish group, Caminando Fronteras, which works for the rights of migrants, has said in its latest report that 30 people died every day this year while trying to reach Spain by boat.
According to the report, more than 10,000 migrants lost their lives trying to reach Spain by sea and land routes in search of a better life. The majority of those killed hailed from African countries, while other immigrants belonged to 28 countries around the world, including Pakistan.
