Pakistan has exported roughly 115,000 people as managers since 1971 and 32,000 as doctors.

A paltry number compared to labourers and drivers — the two top categories of emigrants — whose numbers are 5m and 1.8m, respectively, over the last three decades.

The GCC countries, Europe, the US and the UK, remain historically popular destinations.

These can be the ones considered relatively lucky as they left the country for greener pastures through legal means, unlike the roughly 300 hapless souls that lost their lives this month.

A CNN article quoted a man who said he had paid more than $7,500 to a human trafficker to make it to Italy.

As the economic conditions worsen, more and more people are pushed to try their luck elsewhere, knowingly risking death to try and ensure a better future for their families.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 26th, 2023