Asif Mahmood
Pakistan has every reason to take pride in its overseas community. Millions of Pakistanis living and working abroad have, for decades, played a vital role in supporting the country’s economy. Their remittances have helped sustain millions of households, strengthened foreign exchange reserves, and provided a much needed cushion during periods of economic difficulty. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Pakistanis seeking opportunities abroad. In fact, in an increasingly interconnected world, legal migration should be encouraged and facilitated.
The problem begins when desperation replaces planning and illegal routes are seen as a shortcut to prosperity.
Over the years, the so called “Dunki” route has emerged as a dangerous obsession for many young Pakistanis. Lured by stories of quick success and misled by human smugglers, thousands embark on perilous journeys in the hope of reaching Europe. Families sell ancestral land, exhaust lifelong savings, and take on crippling debt, believing that the sacrifice will eventually transform their fortunes.
For many, however, the dream turns into a nightmare.
Recent events in Libya once again exposed the grim reality of illegal migration. Hundreds of Pakistanis had to be repatriated after being detained while attempting to enter Europe through irregular channels. Their stories are disturbingly similar. Many were cheated by smugglers, abandoned in foreign lands, held captive by criminal gangs, tortured for ransom, or forced into labour under inhumane conditions. Others never made it back home at all.
The Mediterranean Sea has become a graveyard for countless migrants, including hundreds of Pakistanis. Behind every statistic lies a devastated family, parents waiting for a son who will never return, children growing up without fathers, and households burdened by debt accumulated to finance a journey that was doomed from the outset.
Illegal migration is not merely a personal miscalculation. It is also a national problem.
When Pakistani nationals are repeatedly intercepted in illegal migration attempts, the country’s international image inevitably suffers. Genuine travellers, students, and job seekers often face greater scrutiny as a result. Host countries become more cautious in issuing visas, making life harder for law abiding Pakistanis who wish to travel, study, or work abroad through legitimate means.
Nor does illegal migration meaningfully contribute to the national economy. Unlike skilled and documented workers who send regular remittances through formal channels, irregular migrants frequently spend years trapped in detention centres, stranded in transit countries, or ultimately deported. The state, meanwhile, bears the burden of repatriation, diplomatic engagement, investigations, and rescue operations. Rather than easing Pakistan’s economic challenges, illegal migration often compounds them.
The issue, therefore, demands a comprehensive national response.
At the governmental level, Pakistan needs stronger action against human smuggling networks, greater investment in skills development, and wider access to legal migration opportunities. Young people must be provided with realistic alternatives at home and abroad so that they are not forced into the arms of criminal syndicates.
Society, too, must introspect. Far too often, communities celebrate those who leave through irregular means while ignoring the immense risks involved. Families should carefully evaluate migration decisions instead of blindly trusting agents who promise Europe within weeks.
The media also has an important role to play. Public awareness campaigns should move beyond occasional headlines and become a sustained national effort. The public must be informed, repeatedly and consistently, about the human cost of illegal migration. Equally important is highlighting the success stories of those Pakistanis who have built dignified lives abroad through education, professional qualifications, and legal migration channels.
Pakistan has always benefited from overseas migration, and it will continue to do so. But there is a fundamental difference between migration and human smuggling. One strengthens nations and families. The other destroys both.