The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the phased repatriation of Pakistani survivors.
It stated close collaboration with the Moroccan government to oversee relief efforts.
The tragedy occurred on January 16 when a boat carrying migrants capsized.
On Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that 22 Pakistani nationals, who survived a recent maritime incident near Morocco’s Dakhla port, would be repatriated in phases.
“Following thorough investigations and close coordination with Moroccan authorities, these individuals will be returned to Pakistan in batches,” said Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan.
The spokesperson further mentioned that the Pakistan Embassy in Rabat had been working closely with Moroccan authorities to monitor relief efforts and finalize the complex repatriation process.
He added that the consular team in Dakhla played a pivotal role in planning the survivors’ return. “The Foreign Ministry’s Crisis Management Unit (CMU) has been actively monitoring the situation, providing necessary support to the affected individuals, and maintaining constant communication with their families,” he said.
Identity verification remained a crucial part of this process, completed swiftly in coordination with the Ministry of Interior and relevant departments, the FO clarified.
Separately, the ministry is facilitating the return of 11 Pakistani nationals from Mauritania, who voluntarily chose to return home. These individuals will be part of a separate repatriation process, the spokesperson added.
“The welfare of Pakistani nationals abroad remains a key priority of the government, and it will continue to work to extend all possible assistance in this regard,” the FO spokesperson added.
The tragic incident occurred on January 16 when a boat carrying irregular migrants from Mauritania to Spain capsized. The accident claimed 50 lives, including 44 Pakistanis.
While 36 Pakistani nationals were rescued, the rest remain missing and are presumed dead, according to a report from the Pakistani Embassy.
The ill-fated boat departed Mauritania on January 2 with 86 migrants aboard. Moroccan authorities reported that 66 of the passengers were Pakistani nationals and that 36 individuals were rescued following the accident.
In 2024, a record 10,457 migrants, or 30 individuals daily, died trying to reach Spain, mostly via the Atlantic route from West African countries such as Mauritania and Senegal to the Canary Islands, according to Walking Borders.
Last week, the federal government initiated a high-level investigation into the tragic boat accident in Morocco.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a special committee to oversee the inquiry.
