Naeem Afridi final spoke to his brother, Hameedullah, on June 12 as he was travelling on a ship from Libya headed to Europe.
“Hameedullah advised me ‘Don’t fear. I’m simply eight or 9 hours away from Europe’,” Naeem advised Al Jazeera. “And he advised me that when he arrived he would contact me.”
When Naeem learn the information concerning the shipwreck off Greece’s Pylos, “I felt like my soul was going away”, he mentioned.
He spent days looking for details about his brother’s whereabouts.
He has obtained no official affirmation, however believes that Hameedullah and his three-year-old son Afaq Ahmed are amongst tons of feared useless.
Naeem mentioned Hameedullah left Pakistan with Afaq, hoping of constructing a safer, extra secure future.
His spouse had been killed a 12 months earlier, and he feared for his son’s life.
“In Pakistan, you must go away the nation for therefore many causes. There is no such thing as a rule of regulation,” mentioned Naeem.
The brothers had mentioned many choices, however felt {that a} boat to Europe was the one choice.
“I’ve learn that 385 folks from Pakistan died,” mentioned Naeem. “But it surely’s not simply that 385 folks died, it’s 385 households which are utterly devastated and hopeless.”
The trawler that sank off the coast of Pylos was carrying as much as 750 folks travelling from Libya in direction of Italy.
Most on board have been from Pakistan. Dozens hailed from Syria, Egypt and Palestine.
Pakistan’s inside minister has mentioned about 350 Pakistanis have been on board. The Greek coastguard has discovered solely 104 survivors and confirmed 82 deaths.
Greater than 10 days later, a minimum of 500 individuals are nonetheless lacking, leaving households around the globe with out solutions, reflecting on the final conversations they’d with their family members.
Saeed Anwer described his older brother Abdul Jabbar as “delicate hearted”.
“He was so good to everybody,” Anwer mentioned over WhatsApp from Pakistan. “Everybody needed to speak with him.”
Abdul Jabbar and his three cousins – Sajid Yousaf, Awais Asif and Tuqeer Parwez – left their village close to Kotli within the Azad Kashmir territory in Pakistan, desperately hoping to offer monetary stability.
However their households at the moment are in mourning.
“They left due to poverty, due to the battle in Kashmir there are not any job alternatives,” mentioned their uncle, Ramzan Jarral, over a WhatsApp video name, standing in entrance of their roofless cinder block home.
He mentioned the household doesn’t have the assets to construct a roof.
Abdul Jabbar spoke together with his household incessantly over WhatsApp as he waited in Libya for a ship to depart.
He advised his uncle he was anxious concerning the journey, however maintained a decided optimism.
Anwer mentioned of their final dialog, that Abdul Jabbar requested him to look after his household, particularly his two younger daughters.
His spouse Yasra is pregnant with a 3rd baby.
“He mentioned ‘Pray for me that I attain safely my vacation spot’,” mentioned Anwer.
When the household heard the information of the shipwreck, they have been stricken with shock. They have no idea how they may repay the cash the cousins borrowed to pay for the journey. They usually really feel monumental ache.
“It is rather, very tough for us as a household,” mentioned Jarral.
“Every time there’s a cellphone ringing, we’re pondering that somebody might have excellent news. We’re going by means of this struggling 24 hours a day, seven days per week. This example I hope nobody will face on this total world.”
‘There’s nothing in Kobane. It’s a place at battle’
Bozan Sikri Usi’s household is grieving, too.
His 18-year-old son Ahmed Bozan Usi is lacking, in addition to his two relations Welid Muhammed Kasim and Hemmude Fayzi Seyhi. The household is from Kobane, Syria.
“We by no means considered him going to Europe. However the circumstances right here pressured us to take action,” mentioned Usi. “There’s nothing in Kobane. It’s a place at battle. There is no such thing as a training.”
Usi mentioned he final spoke to his son on June 10.
Ahmed mentioned smugglers pressured him to provide $500 greater than the $4,000 they’d already paid so as to go away Libya.
“I mentioned, ‘Son, let’s give them $500 extra and they’ll take you away’,” mentioned Usi. “I wanted him good luck after which we by no means heard from him once more.”
Muhammed Muhammed Kasim’s 14-year-old son Welid Muhammed Kasim was additionally within the group travelling from Kobane.
His father mentioned he hoped his son might get a greater training in Europe. He’s now lacking.
Kasim final spoke to his younger son on June 9. Kasim mentioned Welid requested for his father’s prayers they usually mentioned goodbye.
“We’re nonetheless crying day and evening,” mentioned Kasim. “Our 14-year-old son had seen so many difficulties, endured all of them, however he couldn’t attain the place he needed. We don’t know if he’s alive or useless. All we would like is to get some data. That is what burns our hearts and makes our ache develop.”
Kasim is left with questions.
“We hope they’re alive and in hospital. Is there a risk?” he requested. “Might Italy have helped them, might Italy have taken them?”
Ebdu Seyhi’s two brothers Hemmude Fayzi Seyhi and Ali Seyhi have been on board the ship. They have been hoping to flee the violence in Kobane, although they knew the journey was harmful.
“I imply, if you happen to keep, you die, however if you happen to go you additionally die,” mentioned Seyhi. “You see fleeing as the one probability to proceed dwelling.”