Dreams on Hold: Pakistani Youth Battle Unemployment Nightmare

Did you know that 23.6% of fresh graduates in Sindh are unemployed?

According to the recent research conducted by Gallup Pakistan and Pride, a great number of the educated youth with university degrees are unable to secure jobs and the rate of unemployment in the province is 3.9%. This is the rate of just one province but on the whole, the entire country is grappling with the unemployment crisis.

The rising number of unemployed youth in Pakistan is a cause for concern. Despite their qualifications and aspirations, many find themselves caught in a frustrating cycle of joblessness. This situation is particularly disheartening for those who have invested significant time, effort, and resources into acquiring an education. They had hoped that education would be the key to a bright future, but unfortunately, the job market has not been able to keep pace with their ambitions.

The country’s economic advancement is influenced by the education and skills of young people entering the workforce. It is important that these young individuals possess more knowledge and abilities than the current workforce and are able to find good-quality jobs where they can contribute effectively. Otherwise, if there are many unemployed young people with nothing to do, there is a higher chance of crime and violence arising, often linked to factors like ethnicity, sectarianism, or religion.

Unemployed individuals can pose a threat to a country’s stability and welfare. The youth who are jobless in a nation are becoming increasingly frustrated and vulnerable to negative influences like drug addiction, theft, violence, and other social harms. These individuals are being targeted and involved in illicit activities by terrorists, drug traffickers, and smugglers.

The situation has become so distressing that there have been cases where the youth have tragically taken their own lives due to unemployment. The unemployment rate refers to the proportion of people without jobs in the workforce. Unemployment has detrimental effects, such as reducing the income available to families, undermining employees’ self-confidence, diminishing purchasing power, and decreasing the overall output of an economy.

One consequence of high unemployment in Pakistan is brain drain which happens when smart and educated people leave their own country to find better jobs and opportunities in other places. The reason for this is the lack of good job options, limited chances to grow in their careers, and not enough pay. Talented professionals decide to move to other countries where they can have a better life. Pakistan loses valuable skilled workers, like doctors, engineers, and researchers, who take their knowledge and expertise with them. This brain drain slows down the progress and development of the country because it struggles to keep and make use of its most skilled workforce.

Moreover, high unemployment rates in Pakistan contribute to high inflation. When a significant portion of the population is unemployed or underemployed, it has a bad effect on the cost of living. When people spend less, businesses suffer because they can’t sell as much. To cope with this, businesses might have to reduce the number of employees they have or increase the prices of their products. This leads to higher prices for things we need, and it’s called inflation. But then, this higher inflation makes it even harder for people to find jobs, creating a difficult situation for both businesses and individuals.

This problem requires well-thought-out solutions that tackle both immediate and long-term issues. For example, we need to offer more vocational training to people who are unable to attend college or access other educational opportunities. We should also introduce improved labor laws and practices to ensure job security and higher wages for workers. Moreover, providing incentives and tax breaks to small businesses can help them create more jobs. There are many more ideas to consider. If we genuinely want to bring about positive changes in Pakistani society, particularly for the youth, we must prioritize increasing employment opportunities for the overall betterment of the country.