Artwork: Hannah Lui
On the early morning of June 14, 2023, a migrant boat sailing off the coast of Greece capsized and sank, killing over 300 passengers and leaving hundreds missing. On this boat were immigrants from Pakistan, Syria, Egypt, and Palestine—all disappearing into the deep waters of the Mediterranean. The ship was set to arrive in Italy, providing these immigrants with a new place to call home. However, the ship’s condition slowly deteriorated soon after its departure—passengers faced a quickly decreasing food and water supply, and a few had fallen unconscious. When the ship began to sink around 2 a.m., many of these passengers expected, or at least hoped for, some form of rescue. These requests were never met—leading to one of the largest marine tragedies in history.
As news channels and broadcasting companies began investigating the shipwreck, it was quickly discovered that an estimated 300 of the ship’s passengers were Pakistani refugees. This begs the question: what is the current state of the South Asian country? What push factors are present, and so strong, that thousands of Pakistan’s natives keep choosing to embark on such long, difficult, and dangerous journeys at sea? The June 14 migrant ship sinkage is not the first, but the third incident this year that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Pakistani refugees. Among these incidents are the capsizing of a boat in the Italian Calabria region and a third ship sinkage in the Mediterranean Sea.
From Pakistan, many are departing to find better and brighter lives. Anis Majeed from Kotli, Pakistan, is one of the thousands of relatives of immigrants on the Greek ship. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Majeed revealed that his cousin, Awais Asif, left Pakistan in order to find a better “financial future for himself and his family.” In the eyes of these immigrants, the guarantee of financial security is one of the greatest push factors motivating them to leave their home country. Often, they begin their voyages to European lands, hoping to find rewarding futures. The journey to get to these new countries is not easy, by any means. As a result of policies enacted by Pakistan prohibiting travel on land and by air, many Pakistani refugees turn to the sea, arriving in countries such as Iran and Greece before moving forward. At times, refugees even turn to traffickers in order to help them obtain the proper documentation to travel. The process is quite dangerous, reflecting the refugees’ desperation and the sacrifices that they make to escape their homelands.
Abid Kashmiri, who had two family members onboard the migrant ship, states that “it is the hopelessness of [Pakistan] that drives [the immigrants] to leave” in an interview with Al Jazeera. As Pakistan undergoes economic struggles—involving high unemployment rates and inflation—the issue of a lack of financial resources arises. In 2022, the rate of the rupee decreased by 30%—something that thousands of households around Pakistan simply cannot handle. Many around the nation continue to lose their jobs and see no room for economic development as they are confined to what their country now has to offer, particularly post-COVID. Additionally, disregard for education, healthcare, and the environment seems to be present in the country, as so much of its funding goes to the military, leaving little for other crucial problems.
Pakistan’s economic status and funding issues are not the only severe issues facing the country—Pakistan’s military holds critical power and therefore has a large influence over politics. The military’s tactics to take control of Pakistan’s democracy have proven to be successful, with them having led to the downfall of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Conflicts involving army staff are said to have led to Khan’s ultimate arrest and removal from office, with the former prime minister declaring that “the army was behind threats against his life.” According to The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the army also stands as an obstacle between Khan’s attempted rise to power in the upcoming Pakistani general elections, working to disprove that the former prime minister is a popular candidate. The military has continuously been recognized for its effects on Pakistan’s government and the country’s people, and has revealed the extent of its power particularly in the past year. This pressing issue is one of the largest push factors that is steering Pakistani-Asians away from their homeland.
The various economic struggles affecting the country of Pakistan are vastly significant, but are not the only factors for emigration. Along with the military’s extreme power, Pakistan’s population consistently faces issues such as violence, geographical concerns, and difficulties surrounding diversity. The hundreds of thousands of immigrants that flee the country yearly see the escape as an opportunity to build a better, more welcoming life for themselves. However, these immigrants do not expect to lose their lives when onboarding ships meant to take them to new homes. This lack of care for Asian lives is becoming a greater issue as sea tragedies become more and more frequent. After the sinkage of the Greek migrant ship, controversies have also risen regarding the Greek Coast Guard and their delayed efforts at rescuing passengers onboard. Seeing that authorities are continuously disregarding these migrant ships, restoring hope in fellow Pakistani-Asians is vital. Believing in one’s own country may be the deciding factor between a life, or one unfortunately lost at sea.
Very informative article! There is a strong need regarding advocacy for those who are unable to speak out due their deteriorating nation’s extreme regulations.