In addition to the obvious economic imperatives that the nation faces, the recent Pakistan Economic Survey revealed yet another set of red flags regarding the nation’s faltering economy. The worrying 4.5 million unemployed individuals in Pakistan raise the country’s unemployment rate to 6.3%. Around 829,500 Pakistanis left the country last year (an increase of 189% when compared to the same period the year before) in quest of better employment possibilities. The rising unemployment in Pakistan has received little attention from the country’s successive governments. Government representatives frequently make the claim that the private sector is responsible for creating job opportunities and that the government is unable to fill all of the open positions.
A strong private sector in Pakistan only benefits directors and CEOs at the expense of the employees who put in the sweat and blood that makes a business lucrative. To maintain low pay, the majority of employers would look for legal gaps in employment agreements. Only a few days have passed since the tragic Greece boat accident.
The incident served as a vivid reminder of the despair people experience in a nation that has become impossible to live in for those with few resources. The majority of victims were young males in their 20s or early 30s who all desired to leave the nation for a brighter future for their families (some unsubstantiated sources put the number at hundreds). There are many families in Pakistan where one person makes the significant sacrifice of leaving home to live abroad and works from dawn till sunset to support the family’s basic needs. For those unfortunates who work there for years, developed nations continue to be prisons.
Unemployment remains a significant challenge in Pakistan, with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to have a major impact on the job market. Many businesses have been forced to close or reduce operations, leading to widespread job losses and economic instability. The situation is particularly challenging for young people and recent graduates, who are struggling to find work in a highly competitive market. The government has implemented a number of measures to address the issue, including financial support for small businesses and investments in job training programs. However, much more needs to be done to ensure that all Pakistanis have access to meaningful employment opportunities and can contribute to the country’s economic growth and development.
People who are not affluent enough are frequently left behind, disregarded, and forgotten in today’s culture of conspicuous consumption, where everyone is in a race to brag about their accomplishments. Because of the local worker shortage, businesses in the Global North have an opportunity to reduce costs. They frequently use them for low pay that people accept out of obligation while making money off of their labour.
Millions of bright Pakistanis who are compelled to pursue risky and life-threatening options in search of employment prospects have been misled by the government and the private sector, which mainly relies on government handouts. If Pakistan doesn’t look after its people, value their abilities, and give them good job opportunities, it will never be able to prosper.
