Pursuing A Mirage

Pakistanis working abroad are faced with many challenges, ranging from low salaries to poor living conditions

By Syed Nadir El-Edroos

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, in his speech marking the August 14 celebrations, highlighted the important role overseas Pakistanis play in the country's development (read survival). This statement came at the back of reports that remittances for July 2008 touched $627 million, in line with the government's efforts to realise the target of $7.5 billion for fiscal year 2008-09. Ever since the 1970s, remittances by Pakistanis working abroad have underwritten the nation's economic survival. In short, the country's balance of payments (BoP) deficits have been plugged by their remittances.

The much-denounced policies of elite consumers and consumption-based growth; fuelled by the demand of foreign imports, have been effectively paid by the remittances received from Pakistanis working abroad. The tragedy is that most workers who leave Pakistan for, say, the Middle East do so in the hope of improved earnings, and a better life for themselves and their families. That, however, is far from the case and the inequalities that fuel their hopelessness in Pakistan are perpetuated in the 'labour camps' of sprawling cities abroad.

Since the 1970s, successive governments have encouraged the supply of labour abroad, primarily to the Middle East. These unskilled and semi-skilled workers built the housing schemes, shopping malls and skyscrapers that make up Dubai, Abu Dhabi or any of the major cities in the Gulf. However, as in any desert, this is but a mirage. While the rich and wealthy marvel at the transformation of small seaside villages into cities today, little or no thought is spared for the hundred of thousands of labourers who have toiled to build these cities.

An average labourer works six days a week, up to 12 or more hours a day, spending a further two hours commuting from his work site to the labour camp where he is housed beyond the city limits. Journalists are discouraged from visiting these areas, while a quick Internet search reveals the pictures of these camps that resemble a prison more than a residence ñ up to 10 people share a small room in far from ideal conditions.

Moreover, upon arriving in the country, he has to give his passport to the local authorities, limiting his freedom to enter and leave the country, a measure which would hardly be tolerated in most countries. Surprisingly, most people who end up in such conditions have actually had to pay for the 'privilege' of working and living in such conditions. They spend up to two years paying for the debt owed to their agents; only after which are they able to actually remit any meaningful sums of money back to their loved ones at home.

In the last two years, several cities in the Gulf have seen labour strikes (unions are illegal here) over work and pay conditions. Interestingly, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government offered to fly back any unhappy labourers, no questioned asked. Surprisingly, an overwhelming number of people chose to leave. While labour issues are ignored, child camel jockeys are perhaps more known. Though the latter are now illegal in the Gulf, there seems to be no let up in the demand for small children to ride camels across the region. Parents or relatives sell young children to be quickly whizzed of to the Middle East, often under false pretences. Similarly, there is no shortage of cases of maids who have had to face abuse from those whom they worked for, with little or no recourse to justice.

Whatever I have stated above is no secret. It is an open secret, which is also well-documented, published in the media and even acknowledged by various governments in the Gulf. However, the fact remains that these workers have no rights, even that of unionising or protesting against injustices. Human smuggling in Pakistan is a major industry and it is surely patronised officially. The extortion of rural immigrants promised a better life abroad in exchange for vast sums of money has led many to incur huge debts while working abroad. As mentioned earlier, most emigrants from Pakistan are forced to relinquish their passports on arrival, which places them at the mercy of their superiors.

What is extremely disturbing is how successive governments in Pakistan have turned a blind-eye to such a sorry state of affairs. At least I find it amazing that our Muslim 'brethren' are not only feted officially, but then allowed by the Government of Pakistan to treat Pakistani nationals in such a fashion. The government cannot claim ignorance, as I have mentioned earlier that such situations are well-documented.

Critics of this position would be quick to argue that the money they remit home is of national interest and they are many success stories of Pakistanis working oversees who have done very well for themselves. But here I am talking about the labourers, who are much larger in terms of number and have to suffer the most. Their plight remains problematic in many respects, because they are beyond the jurisdiction of the Government of Pakistan; however, their position as labourers in their host country does not provide them with the rights that can help to dignify their experience of staying abroad.

The sorry pictures of Pakistani nationals being deported and then questioned on arrival at airports or, perhaps even more disturbing, the overfilled small motor launchers that often bring back deported Pakistanis from time to time find some media space among the many issues that face our country. For all of the importance that is attached to the foreign currency that these workers generate, their position in our and foreign societies is at its nadir. Pakistan has successfully exported its inequalities abroad. As in their home country, those who toil to make the malls, hotels, work at the restaurants and provide most of the services that those who can afford take for granted, the same scenario is repeated in foreign lands.

However, in cities such as Dubai, their existence is momentary. They are shipped into the cities to work for long hours in the building cities or in the kitchens, and then shipped back beyond the city limits, beyond the eyes of those who come to enjoy the splendour of the products that they produce. Further, the remittances they do send back have mostly been used to fuel consumption rather than sustain growth, thus foreign workers can expect their children to take their place in the years to come Perhaps this is what we in Pakistan are looking for! Enjoy the spoils of the land and just ship out all the poverty, the unattractive underbelly of society.

Necessity breads compulsion and, therefore, the demand to leave the country regardless of the conditions abroad are unlikely to change in the coming years. More cases of dead Pakistanis found in ships or containers are likely. The government is likely to remain silent in all such cases, fearful of antagonising our 'brothers' in the Middle East. The prime minister stated that his government would try to make arrangements for foreign workers to be granted voting rights while being abroad. The question here is not the merits of whether one should work abroad; rather, this has to do with the impotency of our government to act in its citizens' interests. However, whether our government is even able to table the issue of the rights of its citizens abroad is debatable.

Courtesy: The News Pakistan