Islamabad: Authorities in Pakistan promised stern action against people smugglers and "negligent" officials as the nation observed a day of mourning on Monday in memory of the hundreds of citizens who perished on a migrant boat that capsized off the coast of Greece.
The ship that sank off the coast of Greece on June 14 carried up to 750 men, women, and children from Pakistan, Syria, Egypt, the Palestinian territories, and Syria. Last Wednesday, authorities recovered 78 bodies and saved 104 survivors.
Local and international media reported that there may have been as many as 300 Pakistanis on board the fishing trawler, though there has been no official word on how many survived or how many died.
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Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, expressed his sorrow over the deaths caused by the tragic incident on Sunday and declared Monday to be a day of mourning with the flag flying at half-staff.
"I've requested a high-level investigation. The task of encircling those responsible for the heinous act of human smuggling has been given to the FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) and other law enforcement agencies, Sharif stated in a Sunday tweet.
"I reassure the nation that anyone found to have neglected their obligation will face consequences. After the investigation, blame will be fixed, and people will be held accountable.
To escape the country's economic hardships and seek a better life abroad, thousands of young Pakistanis set out on perilous journeys every year.
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The shipwreck on Wednesday, which resulted in the deaths of numerous Pakistani citizens, prompted Pakistan to crack down on human traffickers.
On Sunday, police in Azad Kashmir reported that they had detained 12 people connected to the transportation of local youths to Libya to continue their journey to Europe.
Authorities arrested the suspects, according to senior officer Khalid Chauhan, during a campaign against human traffickers. They were questioned by police regarding their alleged roles in luring, trapping, and sending locals abroad after obtaining enormous sums of money from them.
According to police, about 28 residents of the Khuiratta neighbourhood in the Kotli district travelled to Libya and then continued on to Europe. There is still no confirmation of how many young men from the area were on board the doomed boat, or how many are among the dead or missing, according to local official Chaudhry Haq Nawaz.
Four of Raja Sikandar's nephews, who range in age from 18 to 36, are reported missing from Bindian village in Kotli.
"We learned about the tragedy from the media. You can appreciate what a parent goes through when a child is lost or dies, he said.
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Raja Mohammed Majeed requested the return of his nephew Raja Awais from the Pakistani government.
Bring the body back if he is dead, he ordered. "When we bury him here, his mother, sisters, and others will be able to pay their respects at his grave. We'll wait patiently.