SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
Unemployment is Pakistan’s number one problem. Irrespective of how you approach the unique set of challenges that face Pakistan, it seems that lack of employment is at the heart of them all. Be it terrorism, health issues or political turmoil, the buck stops at the prevalent job crisis. Every month there are 100,000 new entrants in the labour force. These youngsters, who represent our much-flaunted demographic dividend, need jobs if we are to avoid social unrest. Without productive employment, they will add to the hordes of the visible unemployed youth roaming in our neighbourhoods. According to the Labour Force Survey, the unemployment ratio was 6.2 percent in 2013-14 as against six percent in 2010-11. The unemployment rate was highest among women at nine percent in FY13 compared with 8.9 percent in FY12. The unemployment among male increased up to 5.4 percent from 5.1 percent. The unemployment in rural areas was standing at 5.1 percent in FY13 compared to 4.7 percent in FY12. The unemployment rate among urban population stood at 8.8 percent with male ratio of 7.3 percent and female of 19.2 percent.
A World Bank’s report said Pakistan has one of the fastest growing labour forces in the world with 1.2 million people being added every year.
A related daunting challenge in the medium to long term is presented by the widening disparities between the rich and the poor. This, combined with fears of growing poverty from high inflation in recent years, is damaging social harmony.
The unemployment results in growing poverty and ultimately looking for quick ways out – by resorting to crime, joining in lucrative terrorist enterprises or illegally emigrating for minimum wages. The rich favor the country by swelling the unemployment statistics or working in overstaffed saturated industries on minimal wages even though highly qualified. Consequently, industries requiring graduates are not catered to. Graduates who then contribute to a brain drain by looking for better opportunities abroad explain Pakistan’s net migration rate of -3.17/1000 (2014).
Government needs to bring a wide range reforms to tackle this issue because poverty and unemployment is directly proportional to the terrorism. Until the root cause of terrorism is addressed, Government cannot eradicate it.
pakistan.shafaqna.com
