Poverty drives forced labor, migration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) has experienced a significant brain drain over the past year, with an alarming number of its residents leaving Pakistan in 2024 to seek foreign employment.

This trend reflects a much considered national issue. The impact of this is critical in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where economic hardships have forced many to flee their homeland at any opportunity.

Official records indicate that out of the 325,142 people who left Pakistan in 2024, a considerable proportion is from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, highlighting the province’s struggle with poverty and unemployment.

24 killed in rain-related incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

In their desperation to escape these economic conditions, many residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are turning to illegal means of migration. These irregular migrants often fall victim to forced labor, as they are deprived of basic rights such as freedom of movement, speech, and the ability to reunite with their families. Economic desperation forces these individuals to take extreme risks, exposing them to human trafficking networks and exploitative labor practices in their quest for a better life.

It can be said that poverty and forced labor are directly proportional. Those who leave Khyber pakhtunkhwa in search of opportunities abroad frequently find themselves trapped in a cycle of exploitation, unable to escape due to their undocumented status. This grim reality underscores the urgent need for comprehensive policies to address both the root causes of migration and the protection of migrant workers’ rights.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faces school infrastructure crisis

Recently, the International Labor Organization (ILO) held a workshop in Peshawar focusing on forced labor and fair recruitment. This event unfolded the relevance and urgency of addressing these issues, encouraging journalist community to work on these issues as they are not given proper sport light in media.

As the provincial government indulges with these challenges. This issue still need to be solved as soon as possible. For many families in this province, the dream of a better life abroad remains tangled with danger and uncertainty, emphasizing the need for effective policies to protect their rights and well-being.