A fishing boat with the capacity of holding 400 people capsized and sank off the coast of Greece a couple of weeks ago. It had over 700 people on board, out of which at least 350 were Pakistanis, with the rest mostly being Egyptians and Syrians. About a hundred people were rescued, while the others are thought to be dead. The way that the boat tragedy was treated by the Greek coast guard shows that human lives, especially those of the poorest of the poor, hardly matter for others. A BBC investigation has also cast a shadow of doubt over the Greek coast guard’s account of the boat tragedy since some of those who survived the accident alleged foulplay by the coast guard. A proper investigation needs to ascertain the facts that led to this horrible tragedy. But the lack of empathy for migrant workers and how such tragedies are taken as a part and parcel of life are quite apparent.
This boat tragedy is not the first of its kind and, unfortunately, will not be the last either. Thousands of migrant workers try to enter Europe on such boats several times a year, a risk they take for a better future. This shows the desperation of people who leave their homelands in search of greener pastures while putting their lives at risk. There were reports that some people paid hefty amounts to ‘agents’, who are basically traffickers, and thought that they were going to Europe through legal means. A crackdown has been launched against human traffickers after this incident and some arrests have been made. According to a statement by the officeof the Pakistani prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, he has given “a firm directive to intensify efforts in combating individuals involved in the heinous crime of human trafficking.”
On the other hand, some rather despicable and insensitive remarks were made about how these migrant workers were trying toillegally reach a country and why they didn’t try to make it work in their home countries. What those saying such things do not realise is that nobody wants to leave his or her homeland, but those who do so are doing it for the future of their families. With inflation at an all-time high in Pakistan and the unemployment rate soaring, even those who have jobs are finding it difficult to make ends meet.
Reuters’ Pakistan bureau chief, Gibran Peshimam, tweeted something quite significant about a new trend. “Stories of people attempting this dangerous journey are harrowing. Previously those attempting this route were young males — teens to early 20s. There is a new key trend emerging: There are many older people attempting it now, which speaks to the economic desperation in Pakistan... This is important because this is a big change that really brings home what is happening in Pakistan. These aren’t daredevil young men being sent off as earners for their families. These are desperate fathers, who had held jobs, but just want a better life for their kids,” tweeted Peshimam.
The boat disaster highlights what we witness every day: the plight of the poor, the exploitation of the working class, and the risks that people take so that their families can have betterlives than them. It also shows that because life has become so difficult for people in a country that is struggling to put its economy back on track, they try to leave the country. if they get an opportunity to do so. According to a report published in The Express Tribune, official figures say that 765,000people left Pakistan in 2022. “The documents [from the Bureau of Emigrants] also showed that the number of emigrants had risen after registering a fall in two consecutive years, following 625,000 emigrations in 2019.” These are, of course, numbers of those who have gone away legally. There are thousands who try their luck via illegal routes, like those involved in the boat tragedy near Greece. Some make it, others don’t. But it is time the State introspects on why this is happening and tries to make things better forpeople here. The government needs to fix the economy, create more job opportunities and also provide a safety net for the poor. It is unfortunate that this boat tragedy will soon be forgotten, even though it should never be.
Mehmal Sarfraz is a journalist based in Lahore; mehmal.s@gmail.com
