Countries today will observe International Migrants Day, a day designated by the UN to highlight the invaluable contributions of millions of migrants worldwide. According to the World Migration Report 2024, the global estimate of international migrants in 2020 was approximately 281 million, representing 3.6 per cent of the global population. The question at this point should be why people migrate. Several shocking events that have happened in recent years show how increasingly suffocating some countries are becoming for people, forcing them to flee violence and conflict and search for normalcy in places miles away from their homes. In Sudan, for example, the ongoing conflict has pushed most people to set out on a perilous journey to safety – towards an unknown destination in most cases.
In Pakistan, millions of refugees from Afghanistan have found refuge since the Soviet invasion. It was only after the Afghan Taliban’s comeback in 2021 that most of them were made to go back to their home country. This political decision exposed their vulnerability, once again showing how never-ending conflicts destroy generations, leaving the young without a coherent identity. To observe this year’s Migration Day, world leaders should focus on the factors that drive migration. While conflicts are the primary drivers of displacement, climate-related disasters and economic pressures are equally severe concerns. The 2023 migrant shipwreck was a painful reminder of people’s desperation to leave their countries in search of better economic opportunities. Most of them pay every single penny they save to find one chance at a decent life. The rising cost of living and political uncertainty in their countries weigh on most people, who then decide to do whatever they can to escape the complex environment they are in.
Many migrants from Pakistan have lost their lives in such journeys. Some who have managed to reach their destination have ended up working in exploitative workplaces. This should serve as a reminder to implement the economic changes our people need to prevent them from leaving. In the last few years, climatic disasters have resulted in a surge in internal migration in Pakistan, with many people shifting to urban cities to earn a living and rebuild their lives. In the absence of government support for the rehabilitation of flood-affected areas, the cities will continue to be overwhelmed to the point of becoming unmanageable. There is no place like home, and governments are responsible for ensuring that their people’s basic needs are met and that they have the resources to lead comfortable lives.
