Families in Parachinar still await repatriation of bodies

PARACHINAR: The families of those who had lost their lives in the tragic boat accident in Libya last week are still awaiting the repatriation of their loved ones’ bodies.

The families of the victims in Parachinar have been in distress since learning that their loved ones were on the ill-fated boat.

According to official reports, the deceased include one individual from Bajaur, one from Orakzai, one from Peshawar, and 13 from Parachinar.

Among the victims was Shahzad, a young man from the Zeran area of Parachinar, who was the only brother of five sisters. Having completed his FSc, he embarked on the dangerous journey to fulfill his dream of reaching Europe. Bashir Hussain, a resident of Lukhman Khel, stated that two of his family members were on the boat; one has been confirmed dead, while the other remains missing.

Syed Jawad Hussain from Zeran reported that six of his relatives were on the boat. So far, only one, Syed Zeeshan, has been officially identified among the deceased. The whereabouts of the remaining five remain unknown, except for one survivor, Hasnain, who recounted the horror of the tragedy.

Israr Bangash of Shaluzan village reported that two of his relatives, Zulqarnain and Zeeshan, were also on the boat and remain missing. Their families are in deep distress, unable to contact the agents responsible for their journey.

Member of the National Assembly from Kurram district Hamid Hussain said that he has been in constant contact with the relevant authorities regarding the repatriation of the deceased and the search for the missing persons.

Provincial Assembly Member Ali Hadi Irfani said that this was not the first such incident affecting Parachinar. Over 100 residents of the area have lost their lives in similar boat accidents over the years. He recalled a 2012 tragedy in which 75 Parachinar residents perished while attempting to reach Australia.