More than 300 Pakistani nationals have been killed in the sinking of a overcrowded fishing trawler off the coast of Greece, the latest tragedy to expose the refugee crisis confronting the European Union as tens of thousands seek sanctuary from war, persecution and poverty.
Greek here, they were illegal immigrants. They were helpless people in a boat with a broken engine. They were people fleeing from a war. They were people that didn't ask for help fearing pushbacks, concetration camps, and police abuse. They were people the coast guard stood and watched them die for 3 days.
The chairman of of Pakistan’s Senate, Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani, disclosed the numbers in a statement Sunday, sending condolences to grieving families of the dead.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with you, and we pray that the departed souls find eternal peace,” Sanjrani said. “This devastating incident underscores the urgent need to address and condemn the abhorrent act of illegal human trafficking.”