The very thought of being huddled together with scores of others in an airtight container, aboard a stinking fishing vessel or cargo transporter while on a seemingly endless journey – this is the stuff of nightmares for many, but that which is all too true for many labour migrants of Southasia. People continue to think themselves ready to face down the hazards of such an experience, ready to embark on a journey that has led to so many deaths. Mostly young, they appear willing to take any option, no matter how dangerous, in order to enter alien lands illegally in the quest for jobs and sustenance.
The underground illegal immigration from Southasian countries has grown remarkably in recent years. This trend has continued despite the fact that immigration and border-control authorities in the 'host' countries are regularly re-equipped with the latest gadgetry, weapons and administrative powers to crack down on racket people smuggling. Pakistan is regularly turning up some of the worst numbers, as smugglers take thousands out of the country every year into Europe via Iran, Turkey, Greece and Oman. A recent survey suggests that the majority of these illegal immigrants come from Punjab province. The going rate to smuggle one person straight to Europe is some PKR 500,000. Compared to that, Oman is a significant saving at PKR 50,000-80,000.
Once the would-be migrants cough up the money and leave Pakistan, a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek begins between the migrants, the smugglers and the authorities of the next country in the relay. Over the years, an uncounted number have lost their lives while taking part in this 'game'. At the whims of ruthless agents and under the increasingly strident eye of immigration authorities, victims fall prey to the vagaries of nature, as when severe storms hit small open vessels sailing the high seas; they can also succumb because of transport itself, with an astounding number suffocating to death in airtight containers under a blazing sun. In just one incident, 14 illegal Pakistani immigrants died in Turkey due to suffocation. Reportedly they were travelling in the back of a lorry and heading towards the Turkey-Greece border. Despite such horrific tales, siren calls of the promising shores are so enchanting that nothing can shake the resolve of the aspirants.
