The bodies of six Pakistani nationals who died in a boat tragedy off the coast of the city of Zawiya, Libya, were repatriated Thursday in Pakistan. The remains, which arrived via a flight from Qatar Airways, were received at Islamabad airport by mourning families.
The tragic incident, which occurred earlier this month, saw the capacity of a migrant boat carrying around 65 passengers, 16 of whom were Pakistani nationals. While 37 Pakistanis have survived, almost 10 others remain missing.
The repatriation was facilitated by the government of Pakistan, with formalities fulfilled by the Pakistani mission in Tripoli.
The Minister of Housing and Riaz Hussain Pirzada works was present at the airport to receive bodies, offering condolences to families. He assured that all the arrangements were taken to ensure that the bodies were transported in their native cities.
Pirzada expressed government’s commitment to support families during this difficult period. “The tragedy on February 5 has left many families in mourning,” he said. “We hold on to the families of the victims and ensure the return of the remaining bodies.”
The repatriated bodies were identified as Musawir Hussain, Shoaib Ali, Muhammad Ali Shah, Abid Hussain, Musab Hussain and Shoaib Hussain. The six comes from the regions of Kurram and Orakzai in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office had previously confirmed that the Libyan authorities had recovered the bodies from at least 16 Pakistani nationals. The boat capsized near the port of Marsa Dela, located northwest of the city of Zawiya. In response, the Pakistani government has activated a crisis management unit to help mourning families and facilitate the repatriation process.
Riaz Hussain Pirzada also underlined the dangers of illegal migration, qualifying the incident a tragic lesson. “This tragedy illustrates the risks of trying to reach Europe by illegal roads,” he said, urging young people to pursue avenues of legal migration.
The bodies were given to their families and the Pakistani Foundation abroad organized their transport in the native cities of the victims. Ambulances and medical teams have also been deployed to help mourning families during the repatriation process.
Earlier, in a major breakthrough in the investigation into the tragedy of boats in Libya in 2025, the Kohat zone of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested two members of an international human trafficking network.
The suspects, Habibur Rehman and Naveed Ahmed, were apprehended during a raid at Pusht Bazaar, Bajaur.
According to officials, those arrested were part of a network operating alongside Italy accomplices, including Wajid Ali and Shah Faisal. The gang was involved in the smuggling of people in Europe through illegal channels. The tragic boat accident cost the life of 14 Kurram victims, which had been attracted to the perilous journey.
