Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street

Pakistan bears the brunt of double standards in boat, Titan tragedies

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 25 Jun 2023 21:56
3 Min Read

The disparity in international attention between the boat and the sub causes outrage in Pakistan - highlighting the double standards on human lives that depend on status and wealth.

  • x
  • Left: Migrants crowd a vessel crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Right: The OceanGate Expeditions Titan submersible.Hellenic Coast Guard via AP; OceanGate
    Left: Migrants crowd a vessel crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Right: The OceanGate Expeditions Titan submersible.Hellenic Coast Guard via AP; OceanGate

Law student Anees Majeed from Kashmir who lost five relatives at sea grieved at funeral prayers for empty coffins as Pakistani interior minister, Rana Sanaullah, confirmed that at least 350 Pakistani citizens were on the boat that sank in Greece on June 14.

However, in light of the Titan submersible incident that took the lives of five men (including 2 Pakistani men from the Dawood family) in the depths of the ocean, the disparity in international attention between both the boat and the sub has caused an outrage in Pakistan - realizing the different values on human lives depending on status and wealth.

“We were shocked to know that millions would be spent on this rescue mission,” Majeed expressed, adding: “They used all resources, and so much news came out from this search. But they did not bother to search for hundreds of Pakistanis and other people who were on the Greek boat."

Read next: Greece wreck survivors retell story of coastguard abuse, complicity

“This is a double standard … they could have saved many of the people if they wanted, or at least they could have recovered the bodies.”

An anonymous senior journalist at a major Pakistani outlet said: “It’s not the fault of five men that hundreds of people died off Greek shores. But it is the fault of a system where the class disparities are so huge", noting that “when people point that out, it is misunderstood as hatred.”

Related News

Pakistan building collapse death toll reaches 27

The world commemorates Ashura

With over 300 deaths, Sanaullah stated that the toll exceeded any terror attack in Pakistani history. 

14 suspects in connection with alleged human trafficking have been arrested in Pakistan as it had a day of national mourning. 

Measuring grief

“It’s sad that a submarine carrying five rich people was given much more consideration, coverage, and importance than the migrants on the Greek boat,” said Abdul Karim, a shopkeeper who lost a cousin and uncle on the boat.

“Millions of dollars must have been spent to rescue the rich, but for the poor, there’s no such opportunity. Even the Pakistani government was not paying any heed to the issue.”

Assistant professor of anthropology at Union College in New York, Arsalan Khan, stated that intense media coverage in Pakistan and abroad regarding the Dawood family was overpowering the attention that should have also been given to those who lost their lives on the boat.

“The response to the Titanic sub has been much more empathetic and full of grief". Khan added that such an imbalance highlights unequal values given to different human lives, by society and governments.

The difference between the journeys of Titan and the migrant boat was that one was taken for adventure and pleasure and the second, was in search of a better life. 

“I know one thing: poor people would take this deadly journey again as they are living in misery in Pakistan and economic conditions are unbearable,” said Majeed. “The governments would do better to stop this, rather than drowning them in the open sea.”

  • Pakistan
  • Greece
  • Titan
  • Oceangate

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS