ISLAMABAD: Twenty-one Pakistani nationals are among the survivors of a migrant boat that sank off the coast of Morocco recently, the foreign office said on Sunday, stating that food and medicines were being arranged for them. 

Pakistan’s foreign office confirmed on Thursday that a migrant boat with 80 passengers on board, including several Pakistanis, had capsized near Morocco en route to Spain. 

According to Moroccan authorities, 36 people were rescued on Wednesday from the vessel, which had departed Mauritania on Jan. 2. The boat had 86 migrants on board, including 66 Pakistanis, according to minority rights group Walking Borders.

“Based on verified information, twenty-one Pakistani nationals have been identified among the survivors of a maritime incident near Dakhla, Morocco,” the foreign office said in a statement.

“Through our diplomatic mission in Rabat, immediate assistance has been mobilized for the affected nationals,” it added. 

The foreign office said it had arranged essential provisions including food, water, medicine and clothing for the survivors through the Pakistan embassy in Rabat. It said local authorities in Dakhla are providing shelter and medical care in response to Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach. 

“Government remains in close coordination with relevant authorities in Morocco to ensure comprehensive support for our affected citizens and finalize repatriation procedures,” the foreign office said. 

“We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of overseas Pakistanis and will continue to monitor the situation closely,” it said. 

The development takes place after Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, held a meeting in Islamabad to review the situation on Saturday.

Media reports claim almost all the Pakistanis who were on the boat were from cities in the eastern Punjab province.

The government has intensified its efforts in recent months against human smugglers who facilitate perilous journeys for illegal immigrants to Europe and has made several arrests.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for enhanced cooperation with international agencies, seeking swift action against human trafficking networks.

The incident near Morocco once again highlighted the perilous journeys many migrants, particularly Pakistanis, undertake due to conflict and economic instability in their home country.

In 2023, hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, drowned when an overcrowded vessel sank in international waters off the southwestern Greek town of Pylos.

It was among the deadliest boat disasters ever recorded in the Mediterranean Sea.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Kingdom reaffirmed their resolve to further strengthen bilateral relations to ensure mutual economic development, state-run media reported this week. 

UK's High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott met Pakistan's Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday during which Pakistan's measures to improve its economy came under discussion. 

Iqbal spoke about Islamabad's efforts to eradicate basic education deprivation through public-private partnerships, provincial cooperation to enhance capacity in education, health, and human resources, and significant budget increases for higher education, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. 

"Pakistan and Britain have reaffirmed the commitment to foster stronger ties and collaborative efforts for mutual growth and development," Radio Pakistan said in its report. 

The minister told the British official that Pakistan's economic strategy includes its aims to address five critical areas including exports, e-Pakistan, environment and climate change, energy and infrastructure, equity and empowerment.

He stressed the importance of Pakistan's financial sector in promoting export growth, enhancing agricultural exports, fostering industrial development and advancing critical areas such as IT, services, mining, workforce export, the blue economy, and innovation, the report said. 

Pakistan and the UK have strong military, economic and educational ties, with the latter hosting a large Pakistani diaspora.