As the Libyan authorities intensify efforts to halt the influx of migrants travelling through the country, an additional 14 illegal Pakistani migrants have been deported, as reported by 24NewsHD TV channel on Sunday.
Libyan officials have confirmed that all deportees were put on a flight destined for Pakistan, from Benghazi’s Benina airport.
Meanwhile, the Libyan Directorate of Immigration has announced that they have retrieved 23 passports, from an Egyptian human trafficker. They are currently working on tracing the countries these Pakistani individuals have visited.
The clampdown on human traffickers and undocumented immigrants by the Libyan government has increased. This comes in the wake of a boat accident in the Mediterranean near the Greek coast some months prior, where hundreds of individuals, predominantly Pakistanis, perished.
In a separate sorrowful event, a Pakistani from Sarai Alamgir in the Gujrat district died in Libya, following a gas cylinder blast.
Jamal Afzal, a 34-year-old father of three, had moved to Libya three months ago to support his family. His unfortunate demise has left his family in deep mourning.
In response, the Pakistani Embassy in Tripoli has been liaising with the Libyan authorities, to arrange for the transport of the deceased back to Sarai Alamgir.
Notably, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have voiced their deep concern over the plight of hundreds of migrants, stranded at the border between Libya and Algeria.
In a UN-issued statement, the organizations elaborated that hundreds of migrants are trapped in miserable conditions, following their deportation from Tunisia towards the isolated border regions with Libya and Algeria. They pointed out that some have already entered both countries.
The organizations stressed an urgent need to provide life-saving humanitarian aid, until immediate humanitarian solutions are found.
The UNHCR and IOM noted the presence of pregnant women and children stranded in the desert, facing extreme temperatures without shelter, food, or water.
They reported that there are accounts of loss of life among migrants, emphasizing the necessity to prioritize life-saving measures, and move these migrants to a safer location.
The organizations urged all concerned countries to “uphold their international legal obligations towards migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.”
They also expressed appreciation for the efforts exerted by the Libyan and Tunisian Red Crescent, especially in providing humanitarian aid to hundreds of individuals in the border regions.
