The victims perished not only with their own dreams but also the dreams of their parents, sisters, brothers, spouses
HYDERABAD: A boat capsized off Libya’s coast on April, 20. This huge tragedy claimed at least 700 lives in addition to 900 other migrants who died this year. The majority of the victims hailed from Middle East and African countries, often fleeing war and poverty for a foothold in Europe.
The victims perished not only with their own dreams but also the dreams of their parents, sisters, brothers, spouses and children who had bid them farewell. They all were born to die away from their beloved motherlands. But the question is: why did they abandon their motherlands in the first place?
The answer comes after a lot of soul-searching. There are two types of motherlands, I believe. The first is the one in which we are born and the second is the one that we adopt. Why do we adopt another motherland while we already have one? From a social perspective, the answer is simple: because the one we inherited by birth is uncaring and unwilling to cater to our desires. It deserts us, and makes us languish in an environment that robs us of our fundamental human rights. Thus, a sentimental attachment is disavowed. However, the adopted motherland might be too alien. At the same time, it might provide people who have left their inherited homelands with the rights and affection that they did not always receive in their own countries.
I feel painfully sorry to say that Pakistanis also suffer from the same fate, off and on. In Pakistan, unemployment is skyrocketing. People with employment also mourn for more reasons than one; making a living here can be a back-breaking experience, which is only accompanied by meagre remunerations. A congenial working atmosphere is often missing in both the public and private sectors. Clean drinking water is a dream for many. Health is not a priority. Education is not provided equitably. The social scenario is replete with immoral practices. Injustice prevails. Malfeasance and apathy of a tyrannical ruling elite and bureaucracy have damaged the country greatly.
Asjad Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, April 29th, 2015.
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