The horrible news of the drowning of a boat on 14 June, carrying around 700 people from different countries including Pakistan, sent the whole nation in grief. It is estimated that 350 Pakistanis were on the boat traveling to Europe for a bright future when the incident took place. But, as the boat sank, their dreams were broken and the hopes of their loved ones perished. Unfortunately, most of them have died while many are still said to be missing. As per the reports, around 100 people have been saved, including a few from Pakistan as well.
The families of the victims of the ill-fated boat are going through immense pain as most of them are still unaware of the status of their loved ones. They continue to wait with tearful eyes for their loved ones and hope for their return. The families who have had their loss confirmed are going through unimaginable pain.
This is not the first incident. Earlier, this February, 60 people died trying to reach Italy that included 28 from Pakistan as well. However, the Greece boat tragedy is one of the worst migrant boat disasters in recent times.
Despite all the hurdles, life threats, and incidents of the past, people still risk their lives and try to travel illegally to Europe. They will continue to take risks unless there is a massive crackdown on human traffickers and comprehensive steps taken to resolve the issues that force them to take such life-threatening steps.
Why do people still put their lives at risk despite knowing the hardships of the journey? What motivates them to put their lives at risk at the expense of large amounts of money? Who is responsible?
By initiating a crackdown against human traffickers alone, will people stop taking risks? People will ultimately find another way. The situation will persist until the root cause of the problem is identified and fixed.
Unless the factors that make people vulnerable enough to fall prey to lucrative offers from human traffickers are identified and dealt with carefully, one can not expect betterment in the situation.
A state can only create a favorable environment for its people if it has a stable government and expanding economy. A conducive environment is directly linked with economic and political stability in the country. And to achieve that there is a long way to go.
The question of why people risk their lives to travel illegally to European countries can be looked at on three fronts, those of the state, the society, and the individual.
The commonality among people traveling through illegal means is that a maximum of them belong to the poor or lower-middle class. They don’t have the education, skills, and resources to travel through official channels. They take the short route that involves a lesser amount and greater risk.
It is the responsibility of the state to create employment opportunities for its people. It should make efforts to provide education and skills to its people so that they can earn enough to live a decent life. There should be a comprehensive arrangement for imparting education to all. Both formal and technical education should be available easily to all. It will help them export their expertise to the world through proper channels. But, there are many hurdles in the process. Similarly, the quality of life is decreasing and the cost of living is increasing. This makes people vulnerable and they fall prey to human traffickers when they offer to take them to Europe at minimum expense and without proper documentation.
The rising inflation has made life so miserable for people that they don’t even shy away from risking their lives. The current economic and political turmoil in the country over the last year has also prompted people to take these decisions.
Be it Shahida Raza, a national hockey player, who lost her life in February while trying to reach Europe to give a better life to her family, or the individual from a village in Punjab who lost his life recently, the issue remains the same. Life was difficult here and they wanted to secure a better future.
People are keen on traveling to other countries, given the political and economic upheaval in the country. Those who could afford or have the required education or skills are taking the official route. The ones deprived of these are putting their lives at risk through illegal ways. Somewhere, the state is lacking behind in fulfilling its duty.
Similarly, the individual and society are also equally responsible. The race of accumulating more and more has left Man restless. He is never satisfied with whatever he has. He is always in a race to acquire more. He is not in a state of contentment with what he has. The urge to achieve more is not bad in itself but it should be within the limits and realistic. It should be realizable, not imaginative.
Similarly, when people living an average or below average life see their friends or relatives living abroad and earning in dollars and their family members enjoying their earned money, they fantasize about going abroad and replicating them. This fantasy often makes them take decisions that put their lives in danger. This does not let them settle for less here. Their imagination of earning heavily abroad forces them to take steps that would take them to Europe no matter in what way.
Similarly, society doesn’t let anyone stay satisfied. Societal expectations and pressures also force them to make these decisions.
After the incident, the law-enforcing agemcies started taking action against human traffickers. A day of mourning was observed for the Pakistanis who lost their lives. There is no doubt that these culprits need to be punished and made an example of, but will it yield results? It will only be successful when the government focuses on the real issue as well on these efforts.
At the state level, the government should divert its attention toward solving the root cause of the problem. It should focus on uplifting the status of the people along with the actions against human traffickers. Otherwise, all efforts will be short-lived and the problem will persist. The government should provide a decent earning opportunity to its people. It should provide employment opportunities to its people.
At the individual level, the urge to go abroad and earn dollars needs to be controlled. Individuals should be taught to do with devotion whatever they are doing and remain content with what they have. The unnecessary pressures from society need to be limited. It should not compel people to make difficult choices.
Religious scholars, intellectuals, and sane human beings should teach them contentment and help them stay happy with their achievements. There is no harm in striving for a better future while remaining content with one’s situation.
A state can only create a favorable environment for its people if it has a stable government and expanding economy. A conducive environment is directly linked with economic and political stability in the country. And to achieve that there is a long way to go.
