ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office said on Monday that four Pakistani citizens were missing and 16 had survived after a boat carrying migrants to Europe crashed on rocks near the southern Italian coast, killing dozens.
At least 62 people were killed in Sunday’s disaster, according to Italian authorities and rescuers. Eighty people had survived, but more were believed missing based on survivors’ estimates of up to 200 people being on board.
Pakistan’s foreign office said its diplomats in Italy had met with 16 Pakistani survivors who said 20 Pakistanis in total were on the ship and four remained missing.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had said in a tweet on Monday morning that reports suggested more than two dozen Pakistanis had drowned and that he had asked the foreign office to make checks.
Rescuers and UN agencies said many Afghans had also been traveling on the wooden sailboat, which had come from Turkiye.
Afghanistan’s foreign office and refugee ministry spokespeople did not respond to request for comment.
The UN refugee agency said that last year people traveling from Turkiye made up about 15 percent of arrivals to Italy by sea and that nearly half of those using the route were from Afghanistan.
Turkiye is part of one of the most-used routes for human smugglers to bring migrants into Europe, who at times travel by road, walk for miles and endure being locked in ship containers for days.
Italy is one of the main landing points for migrants trying to enter Europe by sea, with many seeking to travel on to northern European nations.
The United Nations Missing Migrants Project has registered more than 17,000 deaths and disappearances in the central Mediterranean since 2014. More than 220 have died or disappeared this year, it estimates.
Four Pakistanis missing as boat from Turkey carrying migrants crashes near Italy coast
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Four Pakistanis missing as boat from Turkey carrying migrants crashes near Italy coast
- At least 62 people were killed after a boat carrying migrants to Europe crashed on rocks near the southern Italian coast on Sunday
- Rescuers and UN agencies said many Afghans had also been traveling on the wooden sailboat, which had come from Turkiye
Pakistan expands crypto engagement with appearance at Mar-a-Lago finance forum
- Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority Chairman Bilal bin Saqib attends World Liberty Financial event at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate
- Discussions focused on future of global financial infrastructure, digital assets, stablecoins, capital markets innovation, says Saqib’s office
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman and Minister of State Bilal bin Saqib joined global finance leaders at an event hosted by World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture linked to US President Donald Trump’s family, Saqib’s office said on Thursday.
The event was hosted by World Liberty Financial, a crypto-based finance platform launched in September 2024 linked to Trump’s family. According to Saqib’s office, the gathering was held at Mar-a-Lago, the private estate and club owned by Trump in Florida.
Speakers and attendees at the event included David Solomon, chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, Adena Friedman, chairperson and CEO of Nasdaq as well as Lynn Martin, president of the New York Stock Exchange, Saqib’s office said. The event was organized and hosted by Eric Trump and American businesspersons Zach Witkoff and Alex Witkoff.
“Discussions focused on the future of global financial infrastructure, digital assets, stablecoins, capital markets innovation and the evolving relationship between regulation and emerging financial technologies,” the statement said.
It said Saqib’s attendance at the event reflected Pakistan’s growing engagement with global discussions shaping the next phase of financial and technological transformation.
“As Pakistan moves toward modernizing its financial infrastructure and strengthening its position in the global digital economy, such high-level engagements signal increasing international recognition of the country’s regulatory direction and leadership,” the statement added.
Last month, Pakistan signed a memorandum of understanding with a company affiliated with World Liberty Financial to explore the use of a dollar-linked stablecoin for cross-border payments.
Pakistan has stepped up efforts recently to regulate its digital asset sector and is exploring digital currency initiatives as part of broader measures to reduce cash usage.
