Illegal crossing attempts at Poland–Belarus border: Pakistanis among top 7 nationalities

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani citizens are among the top seven nationalities involved in illegal crossing attempts at the Poland–Belarus border, according to recent official data and border security reports.

Pakistani nationals attempting to enter the European Union through irregular routes continue to appear alongside migrants from Afghanistan, Egypt, Ethiopia and Somalia, reflecting a broader pattern of pressure on Eastern European border points.

Sources in Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told on the condition of anonymity, as of January 12, 2025, at least 58 Pakistani citizens had been held after trying to cross the Poland–Belarus frontier illegally. They were reportedly being kept in Border Guard–run detention centres, while officials noted that the figures fluctuate as new groups are intercepted and processed.

Investigators say the trend is being driven by a mix of economic instability, unemployment, and limited access to legal migration pathways, pushing many into the hands of smugglers. FIA officials believe traffickers have become increasingly active in marketing Belarus as a “gateway” into Europe, especially for those desperate to reach the EU quickly.A major factor, officials argue, was last year’s widely discussed Pakistan–Belarus understanding, under which Belarus was expected to facilitate visas for up to 150,000 Pakistani skilled workers. Although the initiative did not translate into a formal, large-scale programme, law enforcement officials say the announcement was exploited by human traffickers and fraudulent travel agents, who sold false promises of jobs, residency and “guaranteed entry” into Europe in return for heavy payments. Many victims, investigators say, later found themselves stranded in Belarus, without work or legal support, and then pushed toward risky border crossings.

The human cost of these attempts has remained high. Over the past decade, dozens of Pakistani migrants have died or gone missing while trying to reach Europe through irregular routes. In 2019, several Pakistanis were among migrants who reportedly froze to death in forests along Eastern European borders. In June 2023, Pakistan mourned young men who drowned off the coast of Greece when an overcrowded boat carrying migrants capsized, sparking widespread grief and anger across the country. Earlier cases have also involved Pakistanis suffocating in sealed containers and trucks used by smuggling networks in Turkey and parts of Eastern Europe, underscoring the deadly nature of these routes. A particularly alarming case emerged on December 11, 2025, when a large group of migrants was intercepted while attempting to enter Poland through a tunnel dug beneath a technical border barrier. According to Border Guard reports, 186 migrants were stopped, including 37 Pakistani citizens, making Pakistan the second most represented nationality after Afghanistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026