Greece boat disaster: Investigation to be completed in a week, says Sanaullah

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Tuesday that an investigation report regarding the Greek ship accident - which took place last week and in which there were at least 12 Pakistani survivors - will be submitted within a week.

Sanaullah said a committee had been constituted under directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, APP reported.

He said the committee will ascertain facts of the boat tragedy and identify loopholes and lapses in the legal mechanism in Pakistan.

“The government will also review short-term and long-term legislation to curb the issue besides envisaging laws for imposing penalties on the people responsible for such kinds of incidents,” Sanaullah added.

Last week, a boat carrying between 400 and 750 people had capsized and sank about 50 miles (80 km) from the southern coastal town of Pylos.

In the aftermath of the disaster 104 survivors and 78 people who drowned were brought to shore by Greek authorities, Reuters had reported.

On Monday, Greece recovered three more bodies, bringing the confirmed toll to 81.

FIA arrests traffickers

On Monday, the Ministry of Interior set up a coordination cell on the incident while while the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also formed teams in major cities across the country to nab traffickers.

“So far, first information reports have been lodged against more than 20 human smugglers and more than five traffickers have been arrested from Gujrat, Gujranwala, and Lahore,” FIA Director General Mohsin Hassan Butt said.

He added that human smugglers did not deserve any leniency. “The traffickers and their facilitators are international criminals.”

Butt also issued directives to take strict action against those putting up content regarding illegal border crossings on social media.

Moreover, the Punjab police said in a statement that a “key suspect” involved in the Greece shipwreck had been arrested.

“The suspect was taken into custody from Vehari and has been handed over to the FIA for further questioning,” the tweet said.