The number of people fleeing Pakistan due to its economic and political crisis has increased dramatically in recent years. Those leaving the country can be categorized into three groups. The first group consists of business owners who sell everything and relocate their businesses abroad. The second group includes skilled professionals who are immigrating or going abroad on work visas. The third group comprises poorer labourers who risk their lives to escape Pakistan through human traffickers. Human traffickers are primarily active in regions such as Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Wazirabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Hafizabad, Sheikhupura, and Narowal. While many individuals from these areas have successfully settled abroad, most deaths occurring during human trafficking also involve people from these regions. In some villages within these areas, you will find luxurious houses. Residents take pride in saying these homes were built with the earnings of their sons living in Europe. Consequently, other villagers aspire to send their own sons to Europe, hoping for their lives to change overnight. However, not all stories have a happy ending. Many young men undertake perilous journeys through deserts and mountains known as the Valley of Death to reach Europe. Some are caught in the crossfire of border security forces from various countries, while others are lost to the waves of the sea. Even for those who manage to survive the treacherous journey and reach Europe, life there is far from easy. Today, we’ll discuss some critical incidents related to human trafficking that have emerged in recent years. Before departing, young people often say a poignant phrase to their families: “We will meet again in the car,” or “I’ll see you in the papers,” which underscores the uncertainty of their journey. One tragic incident occurred on Sunday, December 15, when Pakistani media reported that a migrant boat sank in the open sea near Greece, predominantly carrying Pakistani nationals. The Ambassador to Greece, Amir Aftab, stated that the incident took place on the night of December 11-12. Migrants from Libya had boarded three different boats; two of these boats remained safe at sea, while one unfortunately met with an accident. The boat was carrying over 84 people, 80 of whom were Pakistani nationals. Immediately after the accident, 47 Pakistanis were rescued and identified, while the bodies of four Pakistanis were recovered and identified. Unfortunately, around 30 Pakistanis were washed away in the sea, and the chances of recovering their bodies are very low. The individuals on board ranged in age from 15 to 40, with the majority aged between 25 and 30. Among them were three children aged 15 to 16. Most passengers were from Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, and Gujrat in Punjab. Two brothers from Gujrat who survived the accident reported that their boat collided with a cargo ship, causing it to capsize. They stated that the boat’s engine was malfunctioning. One young survivor recounted, “We were kept in Libya by agents for one and a half to two months before our boat departed on December 11. The waves were so strong that we spent 3 to 4 days at sea.” He left Pakistan due to difficult circumstances, hoping to find relief, only to encounter more problems abroad. Earlier in June 2023, a similar tragic incident occurred, resulting in the deaths of around 300 Pakistanis, including women and children. Of those killed, 135 were from Azad Kashmir, and 24 deceased individuals hailed from Bundali village in Khoi Ratta Tehsil, Kotli district. Approximately 700 people were on board the ill-fated boat, but only 104 were rescued. The Greek government declared three days of mourning, labelling it one of the most significant boat accidents in history. In February 2023, two more accidents in the same week reported 80 fatalities, with over 30 of the deceased being Pakistanis. Among the victims was Shahida Raza, a player from the Pakistan women’s hockey team, known as “Chintu,” who represented Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup and was from Quetta. Human traffickers typically employ two main routes for smuggling individuals from Pakistan to Europe. The first route is from Pakistan to Dubai, then to Libya, and finally to Italy or Greece. Migrants are initially brought to Dubai on a visa before being sent to Libya. Currently, Libya’s coastlines are utilized for human trafficking, with routes leading to Italy, Greece, and Spain. This route is relatively cheap and considered safer. The second route involves travel from Pakistan to Iran, and then to Turkey and Greece. Baloch individuals living along the Iran-Pakistan border facilitate this journey. Migrants often enter Iran under the guise of pilgrimage visas. Unfortunately, Iranian traffickers sometimes confine people in warehouses for days. Trucks then transport the migrants across the border into Turkey, where a cruise to Greece begins in the Turkish city of Van. In the past three to four years, about one million people have left Pakistan each year, a significant increase from the previous figures of 500,000 to 600,000. When asked about this trend during the caretaker government before the general election, caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar responded politely, acknowledging that “people are leaving the country.” However, after facing criticism on social media, he clarified that seeking better opportunities abroad is not necessarily a bad thing. Previously, former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani faced similar scrutiny during an interview with CNN. When asked why many Pakistanis want to leave the country, he replied, “They want to leave. Who’s going to stop them?” His response left CNN anchor Becky Anderson momentarily speechless, as she expected further elaboration, but Gilani remained silent, which drew significant attention and surprise on social media. One of the most tragic aspects of human trafficking in Pakistan is that state institutions seem to sponsor it to some extent. The government remains silent about how many Pakistanis seek to leave the country, often citing the potential for foreign exchange as a priority. For those in power, dollars appear to hold more value than human lives, as these funds often support the luxurious lifestyles of the elite—regrettably, at the cost of the marginalized and vulnerable poor. More from this category Copyright ©2024. Reproduction of this website's content without express written permission from 'Daily Pakistan' is strictly prohibited.