Jasia Khan is a graduate in English Literature from University of Sindh/a CSS aspirant/jasiahameed2016@gmail.com
Youth is the powerful asset of any country. If its talent is properly untapped and utilized, the country can surely run towards the path of prosperity. Looking at the realistic picture of Pakistan, youth is highly ignored and its significance is overshadowed by other problems surrounding the country.
Currently, according to the statistics, approximately 67 percent of the Pakistani population is under the age of 30, which can be turned into a great asset.
There are three chief reasons why the youth is unable to contribute effectively to the society. First is the lack of proper quality education snatches their ability to think critically as well as creatively. The traditional learning methods do not allow them to evolve with the society and walk with the current global dynamics.
Next, there is an acute dearth of efficient career-counseling; young students do not get maximum chances to unfold their true potential in order to serve the country in their best way. Owing to the obsolete mindsets that restrict the students into joining either medical, engineering or the armed or civil services, they find it difficult to opt for the career of their own choice.
Lastly, the highly limited employment opportunities truly pave way for youth bulge. To illustrate, over 3 million youth were unemployed in 2022-23, constituting about 61 percent of Pakistan’s total unemployed workforce. To make matters worse, only 24 percent of the young girls are economically contributing while the rest are behind the four walls of the house.
POPULATION EXPLOSION: A BURGEONING LIABILITY – by Jasia Khan
These core causes can create a societal bedlam. The country is already witnessing the horrifying impacts of neglected youth, which have resulted in both traditional and non-traditional security threats.
Because of the young minds with no meaningful purpose, crime rate has significantly increased. The lack of adequate employment opportunities has contributed to rising crime, particularly in urban areas, where reports indicate a 15% increase in certain crimes over the past five years.
Furthermore, the cynicism among young people has made them fall prey to extremist ideologies, with a troubling rise in radicalization noted among unemployed youth; a 2023 study highlighted that 30% of young people expressed support for extremist views due to socioeconomic grievances.
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Moreover, even those who manage to develop potent skills, they become victims of unemployment. Thus, the search for better opportunities abroad has led to an undeniable brain drain, with estimates suggesting that around 1.2 million skilled professionals emigrated in the past decade; this is exacerbating the country’s challenges in research and innovation as well as economic development.
Such thought-provoking impacts have made the Pakistani youth a liability. Their presence layered with their neglect have posed many challenges for the country. Therefore, long term measures need to be adopted to turn this liability into an asset. The state should heavily invest in providing the youth quality education as well as career-counseling and skills development at a mature stage.
This should be followed by more diverse job opportunities and internship programs where young minds are trained and facilitated to excel in their fields. If such people cultivate a positively fruitful purpose, and become responsible and dedicated citizens, it can bring inclusive development in the country as they will be sustainable future of tomorrow. As it has been sagaciously said that nations thrive when their brilliant minds are untapped and utilized.
Pakistan in the World – December 2024
