Family running from pillar to post to get illegal migrant’s body back

Hashim Khan from Bajaur’s Mamond area died in May in Croatia

SHABQADAR: The family of an illegal migrant, who died in May this year in Croatia, have appealed to the authorities concerned to bring back his body.

Hashim Khan, 18, from Mamond in the Bajaur tribal area had decided to try his luck abroad just as others in his native area did before him. This was in September 2016. He left for greener pastures along with a few other Pakistanis in the hope of finding a new life and free himself of the chronic poverty surrounding him.

“My brother left for Europe on a fake Iranian passport,” Hashim’s elder brother Ikram Khan, who sells garments on pushcarts in Dera Ismail Khan, told The Express Tribune.

“We are four brothers and four sisters. Hashim is sixth in line,” he says, adding, “Hashim was desperate to change the family’s fortunes.”

“My father is a farmer and works in the fields of a landlord. His income is not enough to meet our family’s expenses,” Ikram says, adding, “Hashim and I also work to support our family.”



At first Hashim’s family opposed the idea of him traveling on fake documents, considering the dangers involved in such misadventures, but on his insistence they reluctantly agreed.

What swayed Hashim was the monotonous routine of his life. He was young and full of energy, so he decided to take the bet.

“My brother entered Iran via Balochistan, and then travelled to Turkey on his way to France or Italy.

“One day, when I was in DI Khan, I received his call informing me that he was on his way to Karachi.”

“While in Karachi, we sent him money to pay to an immigration agent who was arranging for his journey to the land of opportunity.”

Ikram says when he crossed into Turkey we were optimistic that he would reach Europe and get some legal cover soon after entering France.

“But one day in May 2017, one of his friends informed me that Hashim died in an accident while trying to board a train in Croatia to France.”

“I returned to my village in Bajaur immediately, leaving my workplace in DI Khan and started trying to locate the place where my brother’s body was stored in order to bring it back.”

Ikram said he visited the federal capital several times and met with lawmakers to elicit their support. “However, my efforts did not materialise,” he says in reply to a question.

“It’s been painful to live since we’ve heard of our brother’s death last May.”

“I have yet to tell the news of his death to my mother, fearing she may not bear his loss,” he says.

Ikram appealed the government to help him bring his brother’s body back to the country.

Meanwhile, Hashim’s plight has motivated Alamgir Khan to launch a campaign on social media to bring his body back.

He told The Express Tribune that Bajaur was one of the poorest tribal regions of the country. “The majority of the area’s youth have been living in different parts of the country working as daily-wagers while many have migrated abroad in the hope of earning a good living.”

“Human traffickers have been exploiting the plight of these disadvantaged youth and sending them to Europe on fake documents, imperilling their lives,” he said, urging the government to take some action in this regard.