Why are so many Pakistanis trying to reach Europe illegally?

The sinking of a boat carrying migrants to Europe on Sunday — resulting in the deaths of dozens of people, including many Pakistanis — has sparked a debate in the South Asian country about the dire economic situation that is forcing many young people to embark on such perilous journeys in search of a better life abroad.   

The boat crashed on rocks and broke up in heavy seas near the town of Steccato di Cutro in southern Italy, killing at least 64 people, including about 14 children.

There were 80 survivors, who said that the boat had been carrying around 180 to 200 migrants.

Italy has arrested three men, a Turkish man and two Pakistani nationals, in connection with the incident.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said 20 of its citizens had been on the boat, and 16 of them had survived but four were missing.

While Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered authorities to ascertain the facts, the Federal Investigation Agency has launched a probe into the human trafficking case.

A crippling economic crisis

Many ordinary Pakistanis as well as experts say the nation’s crippling economic crisis is a major reason why many people are looking to migrate abroad, even through risky and illegal means.

Pakistan’s economy has been in turmoil in recent years, and desperately needs external financing, with its foreign exchange reserves dipping to around $3 billion (€2.8 billion), barely enough for three weeks’ worth of imports.

The catastrophic floods last year aggravated the crisis by inflicting more than $30 billion in damages and economic losses, and displacing millions of people.

Food prices have soared, and the number of people facing food insecurity has doubled to 14.6 million, according to UN figures.

Italy: Death toll in migrant shipwreck keeps rising

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The World Bank estimated that up to nine million more people could be dragged into poverty as a result of the flooding.

Over a fifth of Pakistan’s 220 million people already live below the national poverty line, according to the Asian Development Bank and IMF.

While inflation is running at nearly 30%, the wealth gap is enormous, and tax avoidance by the rich rampant.

According to industry groups, about 7 million workers have lost their jobs in the textile industry alone as production costs rise and exports dwindle, putting the sector on the edge of collapse.

Shahida Wizarat, a Karachi-based economist, believes flawed policies have landed Pakistan in this economic quagmire.

She pointed to the nation’s recurring trade deficits causing depreciation of the currency, resulting in high import costs, rising debt burden and increased cost of doing business. 

Azra Talat Saeed, economist and founder of the NGO Roots for Equity, said the rampant problem of tax avoidance and evasion has also worsened the government’s debt burden.

In Pakistan, the richest 5% of rural households control almost two-thirds of the total agricultural land, she told DW.

“These rich feudal lords do not pay taxes at all and it is only the poor who are burdened with taxes.”

Seeking IMF support

Pakistan said last week that its longtime ally China approved a $700 million credit facility for the debt-stricken country.

Islamabad has also been in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to secure a $1 billion loan payout, from the $6.5 billion bailout agreed in 2019.

Pakistani authorities have already taken a string of measures, including adopting a market-based exchange rate; a hike in fuel and power tariffs; the withdrawal of subsidies, and more taxation to generate revenue to bridge the fiscal deficit.

Pakistanis struggle to fuel everyday life

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Officials say the lender is still negotiating with Islamabad over power sector debt, as well as a potential rise in the policy rate, which currently stands at 17%.

The strict measures are likely to further cool the economy and stoke inflation.

Saeed believes the policies of international institutions could exacerbate Pakistan’s crisis.

“Our import bill has already risen over the years and now the IMF demands unrestricted imports, which means that Pakistan’s import bill may witness an exponential surge in coming years,” she said.

Need for job creation

Miftah Ismael, a former finance minister, said the government needs to launch development projects to stimulate the economy and create jobs.

By building houses and roads, Pakistan can prevent millions more from plunging into poverty, he said, stressing the need for providing employment to the nation’s youth.

Mian Ghulam Shabbir, a 42-year-old laborer from Pindi Bhattian area in Punjab province, said Pakistanis are desperately trying to migrate abroad given the lack of economic opportunities in the country.

They have no hope of economic revival, he said, adding that he himself tried to migrate to Italy in 2015.

“Workers earn nothing here after toiling for over 12 hours a day. And they think that if they do the same work in Italy or any other Western country, they can make tons of money, which can help their families,” he noted.

“So people will continue to risk their lives in search of work abroad.”

Abida Choudhary, Lahore-based leader of Awami Workers’ Party, pointed out that Pakistan is home to millions of unemployed youths.

And, she said, the rising food insecurity, lack of jobs and soaring prices of basic necessities mean that they “illegally try to migrate to European countries, letting agents bundle them into containers or push them into overcrowded boats, which results in tragedies like the one in Italy.”

Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/why-are-so-many-pakistanis-trying-to-reach-europe-illegally/a-64844898?maca=en-rss-en-bus-2091-xml-atom