Islamabad, In a revealing statement on March 19, 2024, Brigadier (retd) Aslam Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW), highlighted the dire situation of unemployed youth from impoverished nations being lured into the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. As per Khan, human smugglers deceive these young individuals with promises of lucrative employment in Europe, only to integrate them into the military forces of the conflicting nations.
According to Pakistan Economy Watch, these vulnerable youths, desperate for economic stability, are transported to Russia under the guise of securing a prosperous future in Europe. Upon arrival, their passports are confiscated, and they are coerced into military service, facing immediate deployment to the frontline. This manipulation extends to the Ukrainian side as well, where similar tactics ensnare youth to fight against those from their own or similar backgrounds, often leading to tragic outcomes where individuals from the same nation confront each other on the battlefield.
The exploitation doesn’t stop at enlistment; both Russia and Ukraine reportedly offer incentives like citizenship following a year of military service or lucrative salaries for those with military expertise, further attracting individuals from struggling countries. Particularly alarming is the recruitment of former Afghan National Defence and Security Forces personnel, left vulnerable after the Taliban’s ascendancy, with their advanced training under U.S. supervision becoming an attractive asset for these conflict zones.
Khan emphasizes the grim reality that, unless there are significant improvements in their home countries’ economies, these young individuals will continue to be seduced into the dangerous dynamics of foreign wars, often without their families’ knowledge of their fate. The alarming figures mentioned, including thousands from the SAARC region and beyond, underscore the magnitude of this crisis, reflecting a dire need for international attention and intervention to prevent further exploitation of these disadvantaged youth.