The death of 45 Pakistanis (out of about 80 passengers) in the capsizing lst month of a boat of illegal migrants off the Moroccan coast provoked a flurry of activity by the federal government which included the sacking of the head of the FIA and almost frenzied rids for the human traffickers who had lured so many young men to their deaths, after holding before them prospects of streets paved with gold in the cities of Europe. However, that seems to have had little or no effect, and there has been another maritime tragedy off the Libyan coast, in which a vessel has capsized with 65 would-be illegal migrants abroad. The exact number of lives lost, or of Pakistanis in the migrants, are not known, but there can be little doubt that once again some of the villages and towns of Pakistan will be plunged into mourning.
The government seems to have the wrong end of the stick, and view this as merely a policing problem. The human traffickers are not really the problem; the people are. Those young men who are so desperate to go abroad are driven by a desperation that makes them willing to risk being killed, so as to reach Europe illegally and do any sort of work, eking out a hunted, fearful existence, just so they can send some money home. It is not as if we send our best and brightest. Them we send legally, and get them to send money home by legal banking channels. However, the example set, of exporting labour, encourages human traffickers. Those who do not know if they will arrive or not, probably do not think so far ahead, but there is a hope of becoming legal somehow, perhaps under an amnesty scheme, when the host country feels it has too many illegal migrants to handle except by providing a path towards legalization and citizenship.
The government should realize that illegal migrants reflect its failure to provide opportunities for young people at home, skilled or unskilled. Instead of viewing the coming generation as a threatening horde in search of employment, it should see them as an opportunity, as a potential to be realized. Even now, the country offers opportunities for living a reasonably good life, comparable to what might be available abroad. Proper governance, which involves avoiding strangling the spirit of enterprise, is essential, however, and has hitherto been lacking. So far, all have been playing dominance games. The government must not only refuse to play, but stop all others. Else there will be more tragedies, and more young men will die needlessly.
