The Foreign Office in Islamabad states that Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in Tripoli has established contact with its citizens currently held in Libyan prisons and is actively working to expedite their return home.
detained nationals in Libya: In order to expedite the return of Pakistani nationals arrested in Benghazi, the Foreign Office reported that Pakistan’s Mission in Libya is in contact with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a statement that Ashiq Ali, Pakistan’s charge d’affaires in Tripoli, visited the prison facility in Benghazi and spoke with detainees of Pakistani descent at the Foreign Minister’s request. They received food and other supplies from him as well.
The official stated that the Pakistan Mission is also in touch with the UN medical team for routine medical examinations and to provide the detainees with medication.
Reportedly, Libyan jails are holding over 15,000 Pakistanis who were attempting to reach Europe illegally for several months.
A prisoner claimed that several prisoners were unwell and some of them were in severe condition in a video that quickly became popular on social media. He claimed that children were also detained with adults and that they lacked access to food and medicine.
He stated that human traffickers brought them with the intention of crossing into Europe, but they ended up trapped in Libya and eventually imprisoned there.
The prisoner pleaded with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to intervene so they wouldn’t perish in the jail. Reportedly, human traffickers held more than 2000 Pakistanis in Libyan jails while attempting to enter Italy illegally.
Off the coast of Greece, a boat destined for Italy carrying at least 750 people collapsed, including at least 350 Pakistanis. 104 people managed to survive the terrible event. The authorities started a campaign to stop those who promise to convey victims of human trafficking to nations in Europe.