GUJRANWALA: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested a man for his involvement in the death of over 200 Pakistani illegal immigrants in a boat tragedy near Libya last year.
The agency said that the suspect was included in interior ministry’s Red Book and was involved in 10 cases of human smuggling. The FIA said that its officials arrested the suspect in a raid conducted at his hideout in Hafizabad town. The FIA identified the arrested man as Bashir Ahmed.
The suspect is believed to smuggle job seekers form different parts of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir to Libya and keep them for many days before trying to smuggle them to Europe when the tragedy occurred.
It may be recalled that in June last year, hundreds of illegal immigrants, including over 200 Pakistanis, lost their lives while trying to reach Greece from Libya.
Hundreds of people from Pakistan, Egyp, Syria and Palestinian were on board the ship when it sank near Greece. Witness said 400 and 750 people had been crammed into the fishing boat which then capsized and sank early on June 14 about 80km (50 miles) from the southern coastal town of Pylos.
Human smugglers have been involved in fleecing young unemployed people and take them to Europe through illegal routes. Most them end up in jails of different countries or die while trying to reach their destinations ins search of greener pastures.
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