A total of 335 Pakistanis have died in boat accidents over the past four years while attempting to reach Europe through illegal migration routes.
According to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), seven fatal boat accidents have been reported since June 2023. The documents stated that a boat travelling to Greece met with an accident in June 2023. There were 226 Pakistanis among those on board. Of them, 207 died, while only 19 survived.
In December 2024, another boat travelling to Greece met with an accident. It was carrying 69 Pakistanis. 25 died and 44 were rescued.
In January 2025, a boat accident occurred near Morocco. The vessel was carrying 70 Pakistanis. 44 of them died.
In February 2025, 23 Pakistanis died in a boat accident off Libya. Three more major boat accidents involving migrants leaving Libya took place in April 2025, October 2025 and April 2026. More than 30 Pakistanis lost their lives in those incidents.
Govt steps up efforts to curb human smuggling
Following the major tragedies, the government stepped up efforts to curb human smuggling. Stricter screening and offloading measures were introduced. As a result, the number of Pakistanis attempting illegal migration fell by a record 64 per cent during the first two months of this year.
In January and February 2026, 440 Pakistanis attempted illegal migration, compared with 1,224 during the same period in 2025. The European Border and Coast Guard Agency confirmed the figures.
