As the Pakistani dies in the fresh Mediterranean tragedy, a question: Why? , Migration

Islamabad, Pakistan – Rehan Aslam’s family run a transport and car rental business, and grocery stores. Rehan helped run those businesses.

But five months ago, the 34 -year -old sold his car, a Toyota Hias Wagon to pay an agent for 4.5 million rupees ($ 16,000), which he had his life in his village, Jora in Gujarat district of Pakistan Will help to leave behind. In search of future in Punjab province, Europe.

He never made it.

Rehan, two girls and father of a boy, were among 86 people, who were riding on a passenger boat near Naukchot, the capital of Mauritania in West Africa on 2 January, targeting the Canary Islands, of North -West Africa Was controlled by a archipelago from the coast. Spain.

Strained in the sea for more than 13 days, the vessel was eventually rescued by Moroccan officials – with only 36 remaining people on the board. Pakistan’s acting ambassador Rabia Qasuri in Morocco confirmed that at least 65 Pakistan were on a boat: among them, 43 were dead, while 22 survived.

Rehan was among those who died.

“He only wanted to go to Europe somehow. This was his dream, and he told us that he should not obstruct his own way, “Mian Isram Aslam, Rehan’s elder brother, told Al Jazira. “He all wanted him to get a better opportunity outside Pakistan for his three children.”

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that it would withdraw 22 remaining people of the recent boat accident from the banks of Morocco, but the horizon for the families of those who died is rarely closed.

Instead, the tragedy has left a series of questions. How did people die on the boat? Why were they traveling from West Africa to Europe – an unexpected and new route for irregular Pakistani migrants?

And from some financial stability families, people like Rehan were putting their lives at risk to go to Europe in the first place?

‘Tortured for death’

The incident on the Western Mediterranean route came only a few weeks after the drowning of four other ships in the Central Mediterranean Sea in December last year. Among those tragedies, 200 people were rescued, but around 50 were reported to be dead or missing, including at least 40 Pakistan.

One of the most deadly ships in the Mediterranean occurred in June 2023, when more than 700 people, including around 300 Pakistanis, died after Adriana, an aging fishing traler, Capted near the Greek island of Pylous.

In the latest incident, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry initially announced on 16 January that the boat had “capsized” near Dakhla, a port city in the disputed Western Sahara region controlled by Morocco. But the families of the victims claim that their loved ones were “beaten” and “tortured” before throwing an overboard.

Press release

Boy incident away from the coast of Morocco pic.twitter.com/0znvrjwf4m

– Ministry of External Affairs – Pakistan (@Foreignofficepk) 16 January, 2025

Aslam, 49, said that the survivors of his village said that another boat was attacked by pirates, stolen their belongings and attacked with hammers before throwing passengers into the sea.

He said, “We were able to talk with some of the remaining boys in Dakhla, who shared how the pirates repeatedly attacked their boat, tortured people and threw overboard to people for a week. , “He said.

A similar account was shared by Chaudhary Ahsan Gursi, a businessman from Dhola village near Gujarat city of Punjab province.

Gorsi lost his nephew, Ati Fae Shezad and Sufayan Ali, who paid 3.5 million rupees ($ 12,500) to agents to facilitate their journey. The remaining people informed him about the cruel circumstances of his deaths.

“These boys sold their land to raise money and left last August,” Glesi told Al Jazeera. “But I could never think that they would meet such a terrible luck – physically attacked, tortured and thrown into the water,” he said.

After the boat rescue last week, the Pakistani government sent an investigation team to Rabat to investigate the allegations. However, his report has not yet been made public.

Pakistan’s acting ambassador Rabia Kasuri told Rabia Kasuri in Morocco, “We are still investigating and interviewed the survivors about their experiences.” Investigators said, “Still trying to find out the details of coming out during those days when the boat was stuck in the sea”.

A new route

Despite being one of the most fertile regions of Pakistan, and despite the construction of the house of many industries, electronic goods like refrigerators, fans, sports and surgical goods, districts of Gujarat, Sialkot, Jhelum, and Mandi Bahuin people to migrate to migrate There are hubs for. Europe for decades.

According to Frontex, about 150,000 irregular migrants from the European Union and the Coastguard Agency, Pakistan have been built in Europe since 2009, when the agency begins to keep the records of migrants entering the European Union. Had done

Most of the traveled Pakistan usually travel to the United Arab Emirates, then take flights to Egypt and Libya before trying to marine a maritime in the Mediterranean Sea.

Acting envoy Kasuri said that the western Mediterranean route is uncommon for the Pakistanis demanding irregular migration. Pakistani officials said that the option of the route could be the result of an attempts to tighten their karb on the frontax and the irregular migration by Pakistani authorities.

Overall, according to the United Nations High Commissioner (UNHCR) for refugees, around 200,000 people crossed in Europe through various Mediterranean routes in 2024, while at least 2,824 were declared dead or missing.

But when those numbers are still important, Frontax reported a 38 percent decline in the irregular border crossing in the European Union in 2024, marking the lowest levels since 2021.

Frontx data shows that while only more than 10,000 Pakistanis built it in Europe in 2023, the next year’s number fell half, because about 5,000 people entered Europe through irregular means using land or sea routes. Did.

Since Adriana drowning in June 2023, there have been national resentment, Pakistani officials say they have increased their screening to clamp on human trafficking network, Munir Masood Marath, a senior official of Pakistan’s federal investigative agency Said. But in response, smugglers have discovered and found new routes.

Maratha told Al Jazira in an interview, “This is a game of cat and mouse, as we keep tracking the network of smuggling, they also find different paths to find people.”

Rehan flew to Dubai from Faisalbad in Punjab. Then Adis Ababa, Ethiopia, and then Dakar, Senegal. From Dakar, the agent took Rehan and others in their group on the road north side along the Atlantic coast.

Agent, Aslam said, the family was known. Rehan did not face misbehavior with the agent or his colleagues and was often able to speak back home on the phone with his family.

Till his death, Rehan’s journey seemed better in such a way that many unspecified migrants who traveled to such a journey had to bear – some Aslam knew from his experience.

Europe’s ‘lifestyle’ greed

More than two decades ago, in 2003, Aslam also tried a risky journey to Europe – through the land, for Greece. Along with a group of 50 to 80 people in Gujarat district, he made his way for Balochistan, the south -west province of Pakistan, from where the smugglers helped him, and others cross the border and enter Iran.

“We finally walked for months, and when we slowed down, they (smugglers) used to threaten to kill us or sometimes defeat us”, they recalled their journey.

But after walking and hiding about two months, when the group eventually reached the Turki border, Aslam left and decided to return home.

“I just told him that I cannot walk anyone else. I showed them blisters on my feet and begged them to let me go, ”he said. They let him go. Aslam said, “It is a miracle that I survived that ordinance.”

Since then, the family has created its businesses, and one of the five brothers, Aslam said they were financially safe. The brothers now run a business to rent a successful car with “10–15 vehicles fleet”, he said, as well as grocery stores. They also keep a small route of agricultural land.

“Our family was well organized, and Rehan helped me in our business,” Aslam said. “But after failing several times to secure the visa for Canada or the United Kingdom, he decided to take a risk (going to Europe without documents).”

FIA official Maratha said that while economic reasons play their role in forcing people to make such a dangerous journey, there is also a social aspect. The family, even those who are financially stable, look at their neighbors, friends and relatives, whose sons have provoked their above social mobility in Europe.

Aslam explained that the greed of money, better opportunity, and “a chance to live in a more equitable society”, people pushed people to take a life -threatening risk.

“There is such rot in our society, people do not get justice for small things,” he said. “So often, when our vehicle is plying between cities, the traffic police stopped people from bribing randomly. For many people, it is part of trading here and parcel, but for some, like my brother, they had enough. ,

Ghesi also recalled how his nephew worked in a construction company in Dubai, which he had helped to establish his European dreams before taking a decision.

“These two boys wanted to find a way to reach Europe. They see the lifestyle of some of our fellow villagers who have managed to send their children to Europe, and how it gave them social mobility. Therefore, both of them also wanted to try their luck, ”he said.

Nevertheless, despite his visit in 2003, and in January his nephew’s death was deadly – almost as he was making peace with dangerous decisions that led to Rehan death.

“Our brother made this option,” he said. “And we allowed it intentionally despite the risks.”