Nosheen Malik
In one home, a mother is still waiting for her son’s phone call. A father continues to look towards the door, while a sister has nothing left but the last photograph of her brother. He had left home in search of a better future, but the merciless waves of the sea swallowed him, turning endless waiting into a part of his family’s life. Such incidents are not merely personal tragedies affecting a few families; they raise serious questions about our society, government policies, and collective responsibilities. Why are our young people compelled to choose illegal and dangerous routes? Who is responsible for their deaths? Is it the young person who takes the risk, the agent who deceives him with false promises, or the system that fails to provide opportunities for a better future in his own country?
Going abroad is not wrong in itself. Seeking education, employment, and a better life is a fundamental human aspiration. Millions of Pakistanis work in different parts of the world, support their families, and contribute to the national economy through remittances. The problem begins when going abroad becomes the only accepted definition of success. In our society, a young person’s foreign employment and income are often valued more than education, ability, and hard work. At family gatherings, stories about the salaries, cars, and lifestyles of relatives living abroad are shared in ways that make young people working in their own country feel inferior. This social attitude creates the impression that leaving Pakistan is the only way to achieve respect and prosperity.
When this perception becomes deeply rooted in young minds, they begin taking seriously almost every offer that promises an opportunity to reach a foreign country. Human traffickers exploit precisely this vulnerability. One agent promises employment in Europe, another offers permanent residency and a handsome salary, while others guarantee a completely transformed life within a few months. In return, they demand millions of rupees without providing any genuine guarantee of reaching the destination. Many families sell their jewellery, mortgage their land, take loans, and hand over their lifelong savings to these agents. Parents believe their children will find prosperity abroad, without realising the dangerous journey they are being pushed into. For human traffickers, the money they collect matters far more than the lives they put at risk.
Human trafficking is not merely financial fraud; it is a serious violation of human rights. Young people travelling through illegal routes face maritime disasters, violence, kidnapping, forced labour, and other life-threatening dangers. Many lose their lives before reaching their destinations, while others become separated from their families and trapped in unknown places. The Migrant Resource Centre Pakistan has also warned about unverified agents and illegal migration routes. Therefore, verifying information and following legal procedures before travelling abroad are essential. The primary responsibility lies with the criminal networks and fraudulent agents involved in human trafficking. Those who collect huge sums through false promises and push young people towards dangerous journeys must face strict legal action. Arresting small-time agents is not enough; the masterminds and financial facilitators behind these networks must also be brought to justice.
The performance and accountability of relevant government institutions are equally important. If human trafficking networks have been operating for years and continuously sending young people abroad through illegal routes, why have effective measures not been taken to stop them? Border monitoring, agent registration, investigation of complaints, and stronger action against trafficking networks are essential. Any official found guilty of negligence or criminal assistance must also be held accountable. However, this problem is also closely connected to the economic and social responsibilities of the state. Inflation, unemployment, limited job opportunities, inadequate education, and a lack of vocational training create uncertainty about the future. Many young people remain unemployed despite obtaining degrees, while financial resources and facilities to establish small businesses are often beyond their reach.
Nevertheless, choosing an illegal route cannot be justified under any circumstances. Legal options for seeking a better future include verified employment, educational visas, and officially approved immigration procedures. Young people should verify an agent’s licence, documents, and job offers before handing over any money. Parents must also make decisions about their children’s foreign travel based on facts rather than emotions. The government, meanwhile, must provide employment, vocational education, business loans, and better opportunities within the country. Educational institutions should also organise awareness campaigns about legal migration and human trafficking so that young people can protect themselves against false promises and dangerous routes.
The reality is that when a young person drowns in the sea, it is not just one life that ends. A mother’s hope, a father’s lifelong hard work, a sister’s affection, and an entire family’s dreams are shattered with him. Such incidents should not simply be dismissed as accidents and forgotten. It is essential to investigate their underlying causes and hold those responsible accountable. Going abroad may be an individual’s personal choice, but risking one’s life through dangerous routes is certainly not a substitute for success. We must create an environment where young people can earn a respectable living in their own country and, if they choose to go abroad, pursue their dreams through safe and legal channels.
The question is not merely why our young people are drowning in the sea; the deeper question is why our system fails to give them hope and opportunities in their own country. The time has come for the state, society, and families to recognise their respective responsibilities. Instead of leaving the lives of our young people at the mercy of fraudulent agents and illegal migration routes, practical steps must be taken to protect their dreams. After all, the future of any nation is inseparable from the future of its youth.
