Pakistan arrests FIA officials for negligence in Greece boat tragedy

Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched a major operation against human traffickers involved in the Greece boat tragedy and arrested its own officers for negligence.

In a statement on Wednesday, the FIA said its Composite Circle Faisalabad registered a case against three human traffickers who allegedly deceived victims into traveling abroad.

The agency also arrested two of its officers—Inspector Zubair Ashraf and Sub-Inspector Shahid Imran—who were responsible for passenger screening at Faisalabad Airport. The FIA accused them of negligence during duty, which allowed the victims to travel unchecked.

"Among those affected by the Greece boat incident, 18 victims departed from Faisalabad Airport," the statement added.

The tragic incident occurred off Greece's southern island of Gavdos last week, where an overcrowded boat carrying migrants, including Pakistanis, sank. While 17 people were rescued, a Pakistani named Sufyan was confirmed dead.

The FIA revealed that an agent named Abdul Rauf collected large sums of money from the victims. Human traffickers Abbas Zulfiqar and Qamarul Zaman have also been named in the case.

The agency has begun investigations and is conducting raids to arrest the accused. “All resources are being used to ensure their capture,” the statement said.

The Greece tragedy has renewed concerns over illegal migration. Pakistani officials continue to coordinate with Greek authorities to identify the deceased and support survivors.