https://sputniknews.in/20230619/pakistans-illegal-migration-problem-revealed-by-rising-death-toll-in-mediterranean-boat-tragedy-2567166.html
Pakistan's Illegal Migration Problem Revealed by Rising Death Toll in Mediterranean Boat Tragedy
Pakistan's Illegal Migration Problem Revealed by Rising Death Toll in Mediterranean Boat Tragedy
Sputnik India
An overloaded fishing trawler carrying approximately 750 migrants sank in the open seas off Greece on June 14 while traveling to Italy
2023-06-19T21:21+0530
2023-06-19T21:21+0530
2023-06-19T21:21+0530
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Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced a day of mourning on Monday as 78 Pakistani have been confirmed dead and dozens remain missing in the migrant boat tragedy off Greece. He also formed a four-member high-level committee to investigate the tragic incident.The overloaded fishing trawler carrying approximately 750 migrants sank in the open seas off Greece on June 14 while traveling to Italy. The tragedy has drawn widespread attention to the plight of migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya and Palestine. However, the real question is: what drove these poor individuals to leave their home country of Pakistan and travel in such a dangerous manner?Rampant Issue of Human SmugglingReports coming in suggest that Pakistani human traffickers facilitated the perilous journey by taking a minimum two million rupees ($7000) from each person, promising them that they will reach Europe safely within days.The network of human smuggling is a vast and complex one. It involves some prominent individuals who allegedly operate from Libya. These individuals have sub-agents in Pakistan, primarily in the Punjab province, who charge large sums to facilitate the journey to Europe. The smuggling route usually involves legal flights to the UAE, followed by transfers to Egypt and Libya.From Libya, the dangerous voyage across the Mediterranean Sea begins.In this tragic incident, the overcrowded boat named Adriana was journeying for three days before her engines failed and she capsized near Greece, causing Europe's deadliest shipping disasters in recent years.Out of 750 migrants, some 300 were from Pakistan, including women and children. Greek authorities said 104 survivors of different nationalities have been brought ashore so far, but only 12 of them are Pakistani.In the wake of the tragedy, Pakistani authorities have arrested over a dozen human traffickers. Meanwhile, Greek police arrested nine Egyptians on suspicion of people smuggling, one of them was allegedly the captain of the boat carrying the migrants.For a Better FutureThe reality is that for years, Pakistanis, Syrians, Libyans, and Iraqis have been risking their lives because there is little for them back home, in terms of career growth or earning possibilities.These people are forced to travel to countries like Italy, Greece and Spain and from there onwards to Germany as they feel they can earn a decent living and send money back home.In the 1970s, Greece and Pakistan signed a bilateral agreement allowing Pakistanis to gain temporary employment in Greek shipyards. Shortly after, another agreement helped the migration of Pakistanis to work in Greece’s textile industries.The official number of Pakistanis in the country are stated to be around 50,000, but unofficial estimates are as high as 400,000 to 500,000, constituting around five percent of the total population in Greece.Each year, young Pakistani men enter the country illegally with the help of human smugglers. Oftentimes these young men don't have the awareness, proper exposure of the risks, or enough money to travel through legal and official means. They are manipulated by agents to pay high fees for a promised bright future. But who wants to leave their country, their homes, families and friends under such circumstances if not out of necessity?Unfortunately, Pakistan has been facing a mass exodus for the past year as over 800,000 young people have left the country, following the unprecedented economic and political crisis.The likelihood of Pakistan defaulting on its foreign obligations this year appears more imminent than ever.The country is faced with the daunting task of repaying an enormous debt of $73 billion by 2025, all while grappling with a volatile political landscape and unpredictable lending nations. All these factors result in a lower quality of life for common people. The rising unemployment and inflation is pushing millions of Pakistanis to an edge.For months, people have been complaining that they are struggling to make ends meet, all the while blaming the current government for ignoring their plight. Statistics show that Pakistan is likely to post GDP growth of 0.29% in the fiscal year ending June 2023, the country's economic survey released on Thursday said, well below the target of 5% set last year.Incidents like 27-year-old Asadullah, who sold old shoes on a cart before setting himself on fire in the Pakistani city of Karachi in 2021, routinely make headlines, but little changes for the people. His relative, Ghazi, blamed the state of an economy where severe inflation was hitting those least able to cope.In comments to local media, Ghazi said Asadullah used to get calls from his wife and parents asking him for money, but he could not afford to pay the rent and meet his own expenses and sending money back home was no longer possible.There are countless such stories in Pakistan where people commit suicide to end their sufferings and in 2023 the situation has gone from bad to worse.The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) overthrew PTI's chief Imran Khan as prime minister last year, under the pretext of the inflation rates the country was witnessing. A long march against inflation was also announced as a part of the campaign from Lahore to Islamabad.Now, a year since PDM has been in power under PM Shahbaz Sharif, things have not improved but statistics show that Pakistan is on the verge of defaulting. If that happens, it will further crush millions of Pakistanis.Hence, it comes as no surprise that many young men risk the perilous journey to Europe in the hopes for a better life. In order to stop the mass exodus, the government may consider giving immediate food subsidies, small loans for businesses, bringing down inflation and providing basic healthcare benefits, as some of the immediate steps.
https://sputniknews.in/20230424/pakistans-economic-crisis-drives-rising-gun-culture-and-criminal-violence-1668905.html
https://sputniknews.in/20230212/pakistans-crisis-ridden-economy-dwindles-as-imf-wants-commitment-to-policies-first-851100.html
https://sputniknews.in/20230203/mass-exodus-from-pakistan-as-thousands-flee-amid-economic-crisis-736617.html
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hundreds of pakistanis died in mediterranean, pakistanis, migration
hundreds of pakistanis died in mediterranean, pakistanis, migration
Pakistan's Illegal Migration Problem Revealed by Rising Death Toll in Mediterranean Boat Tragedy
Pakistan is observing a day of mourning on Monday in the wake of the sinking of the boat of Greece, in which dozens of Pakistanis drowned. The Foreign Office said it is still unaware of exactly how many people from the country were aboard the Adriana.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced a day of mourning on Monday as 78 Pakistani have been confirmed dead and dozens remain missing in the migrant boat tragedy off Greece.
He also formed a four-member high-level committee to investigate the tragic incident.
The overloaded fishing trawler carrying approximately 750 migrants sank in the open seas off Greece on June 14 while traveling to Italy.
The tragedy has drawn widespread attention to the plight of migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya and Palestine. However, the real question is: what drove these poor individuals to leave their home country of Pakistan and travel in such a dangerous manner?
Rampant Issue of Human Smuggling
Reports coming in suggest that Pakistani human traffickers facilitated the perilous journey by taking a minimum two million rupees ($7000) from each person, promising them that they will reach Europe safely within days.
The network of human smuggling is a vast and complex one. It involves some prominent individuals who allegedly operate from Libya. These individuals have sub-agents in Pakistan, primarily in the Punjab province, who charge large sums to facilitate the journey to Europe. The smuggling route usually involves legal flights to the UAE, followed by transfers to Egypt and Libya.
From Libya, the dangerous voyage across the Mediterranean Sea begins.
In this tragic incident, the overcrowded boat named Adriana was journeying for three days before her engines failed and she capsized near Greece, causing Europe's deadliest shipping disasters in recent years.
Out of 750 migrants, some 300 were from Pakistan, including women and children. Greek authorities said 104 survivors of different nationalities have been brought ashore so far, but only 12 of them are Pakistani.
In the wake of the tragedy, Pakistani authorities have arrested over a dozen human traffickers. Meanwhile, Greek police arrested nine Egyptians on suspicion of people smuggling, one of them was allegedly the captain of the boat carrying the migrants.
The reality is that for years, Pakistanis, Syrians, Libyans, and Iraqis have been risking their lives because there is little for them back home, in terms of career growth or earning possibilities.
These people are forced to travel to countries like Italy, Greece and Spain and from there onwards to Germany as they feel they can earn a decent living and send money back home.
In the 1970s, Greece and Pakistan signed a bilateral agreement allowing Pakistanis to gain temporary employment in Greek shipyards. Shortly after, another agreement helped the migration of Pakistanis to work in Greece’s textile industries.
The official number of Pakistanis in the country are stated to be around 50,000, but unofficial estimates are as high as 400,000 to 500,000, constituting around five percent of the total population in Greece.
Each year, young Pakistani men enter the country illegally with the help of human smugglers. Oftentimes these young men don't have the awareness, proper exposure of the risks, or enough money to travel through legal and official means. They are manipulated by agents to pay high fees for a promised bright future. But who wants to leave their country, their homes, families and friends under such circumstances if not out of necessity?
Unfortunately, Pakistan has been facing a mass exodus for the past year as over 800,000 young people have left the country, following the unprecedented economic and political crisis.
The likelihood of Pakistan defaulting on its foreign obligations this year appears more imminent than ever.
The country is faced with the daunting task of repaying an enormous debt of $73 billion by 2025, all while grappling with a volatile political landscape and unpredictable lending nations. All these factors result in a lower quality of life for common people. The rising unemployment and inflation is pushing millions of Pakistanis to an edge.
For months, people have been complaining that they are struggling to make ends meet, all the while blaming the current government for ignoring their plight. Statistics show that Pakistan is likely to post GDP growth of 0.29% in the fiscal year ending June 2023, the country's economic survey released on Thursday said, well below the target of 5% set last year.
Incidents like 27-year-old Asadullah, who sold old shoes on a cart before setting himself on fire in the Pakistani city of Karachi in 2021, routinely make headlines, but little changes for the people. His relative, Ghazi, blamed the state of an economy where severe inflation was hitting those least able to cope.
In comments to local media, Ghazi said Asadullah used to get calls from his wife and parents asking him for money, but he could not afford to pay the rent and meet his own expenses and sending money back home was no longer possible.
There are countless such stories in Pakistan where people commit suicide to end their sufferings and in 2023 the situation has gone from bad to worse.
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) overthrew PTI's chief Imran Khan as prime minister last year, under the pretext of the inflation rates the country was witnessing. A long march against inflation was also announced as a part of the campaign from Lahore to Islamabad.
Now, a year since PDM has been in power under PM Shahbaz Sharif, things have not improved but statistics show that Pakistan is on the verge of defaulting. If that happens, it will further crush millions of Pakistanis.
Hence, it comes as no surprise that many young men risk the perilous journey to Europe in the hopes for a better life. In order to stop the mass exodus, the government may consider giving immediate food subsidies, small loans for businesses, bringing down inflation and providing basic healthcare benefits, as some of the immediate steps.
