DUBLIN, Ireland — The growing number of Pakistani migrants arriving at European borders is the direct result of deepening despair inside Pakistan combined with the expansion of transnational smuggling networks that profit from human suffering, according to a new report cited Wednesday.
The analysis argues that Europe is confronting a three-layered crisis: mounting migration pressure that is straining border controls and asylum systems, a humanitarian emergency fueled by persecution and violence within Pakistan, and a criminal challenge posed by sophisticated trafficking networks operating across continents.
“The rise in Pakistani migrants at Europe’s borders is not coincidental; it is the inevitable outcome of a system that produces despair at home and criminal profit abroad,” wrote Greek lawyer, journalist, and professional writer Dimitra Staikou in an opinion piece published by EU Reporter. “In this environment, Europe is not merely a bystander but the final recipient of a crisis that begins elsewhere and ultimately destabilizes the continent.”
Citing estimates from Frontex, the European Union’s border agency, the report notes that Pakistanis consistently account for about 5 to 6 percent of all irregular entries into the EU. While that share may appear modest, the report says it becomes significant when combined with high visa rejection rates, worsening persecution in Pakistan, and the growing reach of smuggling networks that view Europe as their safest and most profitable destination.
Based on total crossings along major migration routes, an estimated 1,300 to 1,700 Pakistanis entered Europe in September 2025, rising to between 1,600 and 2,100 in October, before declining to roughly 900 to 1,300 in November. In total, between 3,800 and 5,100 Pakistanis are estimated to have entered the EU irregularly during the autumn months, reinforcing Pakistan’s position as a persistent source of migratory pressure.
The report also highlights the role of organized trafficking networks exploiting vulnerable populations. Investigations by The Telegraph into two alleged Pakistani traffickers, Usman Ali and Master Uzair, are cited as examples of how these criminal systems operate across borders with relative impunity.
Usman Ali, who is internationally wanted, was reportedly living freely in Italy while allegedly running businesses and housing migrants. He is accused of orchestrating a deadly shipwreck between Mauritania and Spain in January 2025, in which 80 people were tortured and most were murdered for ransom. Only 22 survivors reportedly endured 12 days at sea.
“That such an individual can operate inside the EU underscores not only the power of these networks but also the severe gaps in Europe’s enforcement mechanisms,” the EU Reporter opinion piece said.
The case of Master Uzair, described as once the poorest man in his village, is cited as another example of how local legitimacy can be leveraged to build large-scale trafficking operations. Uzair has been linked to the 2023 Adriana shipwreck that killed more than 600 people, roughly half of them Pakistanis. His disappearance despite international investigations, the report said, illustrates how deeply entrenched and adaptive these networks have become.
However, Staikou argues that smuggling organizations are not the root cause of the migration crisis. Instead, she points to systemic human rights abuses within Pakistan, including persecution, political instability, and the erosion of the rule of law.
According to the report, Pakistan’s Christian communities are facing one of their most severe periods in recent history. Attacks have risen by more than 60 percent, over 35 new blasphemy cases were filed in 2025, more than 250 individuals remain imprisoned without due legal process, and at least 26 churches and Christian neighborhoods have been attacked. The report also cites documented cases of torture, including the arrest and abuse of a 49-year-old blind Christian detainee, with impunity rates exceeding 90 percent.
“Under such conditions, escape — even through criminal networks — becomes a matter of survival,” Staikou wrote.
The situation is described as even more dire for Pakistan’s Hazara Shia community, particularly in Balochistan. The report says 2025 has been marked by bombings, targeted killings, and enforced disappearances, with extremist groups such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Islamic State Khorasan Province openly labeling Shiites as “apostates.”
Reports from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and Human Rights Watch document numerous disappearances, while families live under constant threat. As a result, thousands of Hazaras are fleeing Pakistan, often relying on the same smuggling routes that funnel migrants toward Europe, the report said. (Source: IANS)
