Morocco boat tragedy: President, PM express condolences

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of more than 40 Pakistani lives in the Morocco boat disaster.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO), a boat carrying 80 passengers capsized, leaving over 40 Pakistanis among the deceased. The survivors, including several Pakistani nationals, were provided assistance and shelter at a camp near Dakhla.

In a press release, the FO stated that the Pakistani embassy in Rabat promptly informed the ministry about the tragedy. The embassy dispatched a team to Dakhla to facilitate Pakistani survivors and offer necessary support.

“Our embassy in Rabat is collaborating closely with Moroccan authorities to ensure full support for the affected nationals,” the FO confirmed. A Crisis Management Unit (CMU) has been activated to coordinate efforts, as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar instructed all relevant agencies to prioritize assistance.

President Zardari expressed profound grief over the loss of lives and called for robust measures to combat human trafficking, emphasizing the need to prevent such incidents in the future.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also conveyed his condolences and demanded a thorough report from the authorities. “This heinous act of human trafficking will be met with strict action,” PM Shehbaz stated. He assured that negligence in addressing such crimes would not be tolerated and reiterated the government’s commitment to implementing decisive measures to curb human trafficking.