16 Pakistanis Dead in Migrant Boat Sinking Off Libya

At least 16 Pakistani nationals are confirmed dead, and 10 others remain missing after a boat carrying migrants sank off the coast of Libya over the weekend, according to officials. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported Tuesday that 33 of the 37 survivors are in the custody of Libyan police, while one is receiving treatment in a local hospital. The boat, which was carrying an estimated 65 passengers, was en route to Europe.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his profound sorrow for the lives lost in the tragedy near Marsa Dela port in the western city of Zawiya. He directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to expedite the identification of the victims and offer support to their families. Sharif also called for swift action against those involved in human trafficking, labeling it a "heinous crime" in a statement.

The majority of the victims hailed from Kurram, a district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan, an area that has seen extensive sectarian violence in recent years. "People resort to dangerous routes to Europe due to the dire unemployment situation at home," said Javed Hussain, nephew of Shehzad Hussain, one of the victims. Mourners have been gathering at the homes of the victims in the wake of the tragedy.

This incident follows a similar disaster in January, when dozens of Pakistanis died in a boat capsizing off West Africa. Some survivors later accused smugglers of killing 43 migrants during a dispute over payment. Pakistan has confirmed the deaths of 13 nationals in that incident.

Every year, hundreds of Pakistanis risk their lives attempting to reach Europe via perilous land and sea routes with the help of human smugglers. They are driven by the promise of employment in Europe and a way out of economic hardship at home.

Libya, a transit hub for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in Africa and the Middle East, remains a focal point in the migrant crisis. Since the NATO-backed uprising that toppled Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, the country has descended into instability, with its Mediterranean coastline becoming a major point of departure for migrants attempting to reach Europe.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 674 migrants were reported dead and over 1,000 missing off Libya in 2024. In 2023, the IOM reported 962 deaths and 1,563 people missing in similar circumstances. Additionally, over 21,700 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya in 2024, facing severe conditions in detention centers where abuses, including forced labor, beatings, and sexual violence, are rampant. U.N. investigators have called these practices crimes against humanity. Migrants often face extortion as smugglers demand additional payments before releasing them or allowing them to continue their dangerous journeys to Europe.