There’s an old saying: “Travel is the key to success.”
But for thousands of Pakistanis, this journey has turned into a journey of death.
Every few months, headlines tell the same tragic story , an overcrowded migrant boat capsizes in the Mediterranean, leaving only a few survivors. Families mourn, governments issue statements, and then silence returns. Until the next tragedy.
The question remains: why do people keep doing it?
Why are so many willing to risk everything , their money, safety, and lives , to reach Europe or America, even through illegal means?
When Law Fails, Hope Dies
The answer lies not only in economic hardship but in the absence of the rule of law.
When people stop believing that justice exists in their own country, when corruption becomes part of everyday life, and when those in power escape accountability , hope disappears.
Pakistan is a country blessed with talent, youth, and potential, yet cursed with weak systems. Here, laws protect the powerful more than the powerless. Connections often matter more than competence. And honesty rarely pays off.
So when people see the West , countries where systems actually work, where rules protect the ordinary citizen, where hard work brings results , they start believing that maybe their only chance at dignity lies across the sea.
A Lesson from My Own Experience
Years ago, I worked for a large cellular company in Pakistan during the mobile boom.
Our company was thriving , expanding rapidly, using advanced technologies, and competing with international standards. But one day, our CEO , an American , sent an email that said something which has stayed with me ever since:
“We will only expand further when there is a one-window operation and a fair system in place.”
In other words , no fairness, no progress.
Soon after, our expansion froze.
The company’s network, once aiming for European benchmarks, slid back to regional standards. And today, many multinational firms are doing the same , scaling back or shutting down their operations in Pakistan due to instability, corruption, and lack of accountability.
That single experience taught me more about governance than any textbook could:
When laws are weak, investment runs away.
When investment disappears, jobs vanish.
And when jobs vanish, people leave , legally or illegally.
Dignity Over Wealth
There’s no doubt , those who migrate illegally and risk their lives do it mostly for dignity, not wealth.
They are not chasing luxury; they are escaping humiliation.
They want to live in a place where their hard work counts, where their voices matter, and where their children can dream beyond survival.
In Europe and America, people follow rules because the system protects them. In Pakistan, people break rules because the system fails them. That difference is what pushes people into dangerous waters.
Why the West Feels Different
In Western societies, the rule of law is sacred.
Whether it’s a police officer or a prime minister, everyone answers to the same law. That consistency builds trust , trust that if you obey the rules, you’ll be treated fairly.
In Pakistan, the problem isn’t that we lack talent or resources; it’s that our systems are built around personalities, not principles. A country cannot move forward when rules change based on who you know or what power you hold.
That’s why ordinary people here see extraordinary things abroad , simple fairness feels like a miracle.
The Cost of a Broken System
When laws collapse, everything else collapses with them , economy, morality, and even patriotism.
Investors flee because there’s no predictability. Young people leave because there’s no justice. And those who stay learn to survive through shortcuts.
It’s not poverty that drives people out , it’s unfairness.
It’s not unemployment , it’s hopelessness.
No one wants to risk their life on a boat if they believe they can build a life at home.
The West didn’t reach stability overnight. It took centuries of enforcing laws, punishing corruption, and respecting merit.
Pakistan can do it too , but only if we stop tolerating exceptions and start demanding equality before the law.
What Pakistan Must Fix
To stop the exodus of talent and lives, Pakistan needs more than speeches , it needs systems that work.
Here’s where change must begin:
- Rule of Law: No one should be above the law , not generals, not politicians, not businessmen.
- Equal Opportunity: Jobs should be based on merit, not on personal connections or references.
- Accountability: Corruption must carry real consequences.
- Investor Confidence: Predictable policies attract stability.
- Human Dignity: Every citizen deserves respect, regardless of class or income.
If we build a fair system, people won’t dream of risking their lives at sea to live abroad; they’ll dream of building their future at home.
A Call for Reflection
People don’t abandon their homeland because they want to , they do it because their homeland abandons them first.
Until Pakistan creates a society where laws protect the weak, not the powerful, our youth will keep looking toward the West , not for wealth, but for justice, order, and dignity.
The West isn’t perfect, but it’s fair.
And sometimes, fairness is all people need to feel human again.
