Shahida Raza, a former female hockey player for Pakistan, was one of the individuals who died in the migrant boat tragedy in Italy on Sunday.
Chintu, or Shahida as she was formally known, played hockey for Pakistan’s national team and participated in international tournaments. Additionally, she played football at the domestic level.
According to sources close to her family, Shahida, who was originally from Quetta, was facing hardships in her life as a single mother following her divorce. In pursuit of a better future, she decided to migrate to Europe illegally.
In addition to playing hockey, she also represented Pakistan in football.
Shehla Raza, Vice President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), Tanzila Amir Cheema, Secretary of PH Women Wing, and other individuals affiliated with hockey expressed their grief and condolences upon learning of her passing.
“President of Pakistan Hockey Federation Brigadier R. Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, Secretary General Haider Hussain, Chairperson Women’s Hockey Wing Syeda Shehla Raza, GM Women’s Wing Tanzeela Amir Cheema has expressed condolences to the family of former international women’s hockey player Shahida Raza (Chintu), who died due to an accident and prayed for her forgiveness,” the PFF said in a press release on Tuesday.
Officials have reported that 59 migrants, including individuals from Pakistan, lost their lives when their overcrowded boat sank in rough seas off the southern Calabria region of Italy.
Following the incident, local police arrested two Pakistani and one Turkish national on suspicion of trafficking up to 200 migrants on the boat.
Lieutenant Colonel Alberto Lippolis stated that the two Pakistanis and one Turk had navigated the boat from Turkey to Italy, despite the adverse weather conditions and were identified by survivors as “the primary perpetrators of the tragedy.”
Lieutenant Colonel Alberto Lippolis, who leads a finance police team in the Calabria region, has reported that the suspects allegedly demanded approximately 8,000 euros ($8,485) from each migrant for the perilous journey.
“All three have been arrested,” he stated. According to a judicial source, one of the arrested Pakistanis was a minor, and authorities are currently searching for a fourth suspect who is of Turkish origin.