Social Machinery and Violence in the Process of Pakistani Migrant Workers’ Migration from Pakistan to Malaysia

Prior research has examined the issue of violence against migrant workers throughout the migration journey, albeit without a comprehensive consideration of the concept of structural violence. This study delves into various facets of structural violence and explores the factors contributing to Pakistani migrant workers falling prey to distinct forms and expressions of structural violence during their migration from Pakistan to Malaysia. The chapter posits that the irregular migration process is a product of the intricate interplay within the social machinery of both countries, constructing a relentless cycle of structural violence. This research sheds light on how, during their migration, the majority of migrant workers confront a multitude of structural violence instances, amplifying their susceptibility to deception within the migration process and exploitation by agents, subagents, employers, and officials in both sending and receiving countries. This chapter advocates for an ongoing dialogue concerning structural violence and the imperative role of inexpensive migrant labor in the context of development, including the remittances for sending countries. This discussion should persistently scrutinize and acknowledge the various forms and roles of both the sending and receiving states in generating vulnerabilities for migrant workers, with the ultimate goal of holding the social mechanisms accountable.