Unemployment crisis in parts of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have compelled youths to cross the border and travel illegally abroad in search of more job opportunities.
Experts believe that it is the worsening of the scenario for the youths, who in most cases fail to reach their destinations and end up losing the little money that they carry. They also risk their lives while choosing to travel to another country illegally.
Asked about a probable figure of people travelling abroad, Israruddin, a journalist and human rights activist in Gilgit, said, "Every year, some 11,000 people travel illegally to other countries. While most of them lose their lives in the course, others return to their homes. This not only creates financial losses to them and their families but also pushes them into several legal battles."
Another human rights activist Samar Abbas Qafazi blamed the authorities for failing to generate enough employment opportunities for the youths.
"Youths in the region are frustrated with the rapid rise in the unemployment rate. In such a scenario, they are left with no option but to move to other countries illegally. The government should come up with policies and legislations that allow the human resource of the region to be utilised properly," said Qazafi.
The activists also said that Islamabad has been exploiting the region of Gilgit Baltistan for more than seven decades. While on one side it has systematically kept the youths away from receiving higher education, on other it has debarred the people from the limited number of employment opportunities in the region, they added.
Locals are deemed unfit for the projects being pursued in the region. In such a scenario, they are forced to explore the ideas of working overseas.
There are legal and systematic ways of travelling abroad even in search of employment but the people in PoK are never informed about such things.
"People are motivated by money and other luxuries but are ill-informed. They do not know the correct procedure of travelling to a different country. Greed drives them and the agents exploit their gullibility," Israruddin said.
A report from Labour Migration agency from Pakistan says the country holds the dubious distinction of receiving the highest number of deportations from across the globe and most of the people are from this region of Gilgit Baltistan.
Gilgit Baltistan is one of the least developed regions under the sun. Despite having a vast amount of natural resources, the people of the region are reeling under poverty. The situation is worsened by the exploitative agendas pursued at the cost of lives of people by Islamabad.
( With inputs from ANI )