Qudsia Bano

Pakistan is fast losing its brain capital, as a growing number of qualified individuals opt for greener pastures abroad due to the rising inflation and economic unrest. The people who matter in all spheres of the national life are students, workers, farmers, and people from various professions, including the educated unemployed. Talking to WealthPK, Anam Kiani, a former lecturer at the Air University who recently got Canadian immigration and permanent residency, said unfortunately there were many obstacles that the Pakistani youngsters must overcome.

She said the young generation thought that they were undervalued in Pakistan and had more educational opportunities abroad. She said the country's young generation appeared discouraged, irritated, and perplexed. Unemployment, instability, financial difficulties, lack of social support, and limited job options are some of the causes. “Unemployment is one of the main issues today's youths are currently dealing with. They think there are no chances for them. People have developed beyond the point where they only study particular subjects, major in them, and find employment in a particular industry. The subjects are not given in Pakistan.

Even if they are, they will not have any ‘scope’ if a person chooses to remain there. People now desire to pursue their passions and are more aggressive,” said Anam. This year, 0.69 million people have left Pakistan in search of better employment prospects, according to the latest statistics released by the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment of Pakistan. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, South Korea, Malaysia, and China are the top nations of employment. A total of 12.32 million employees have left Pakistan in quest of rewarding employment prospects.

If we talk about the major fields, the most educated people are more willing to leave the country according to the statistics of BE&OE. According to the data, 67,702 accountants, 351,181 agriculturists, 89,813 engineers, 286,882 mechanics, and 30,940 doctors left the country by October 2022 in search of better job opportunities. It is worth mentioning that according to the statistics revealed by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, the current literacy rate of the country is 62.3%, which means an estimated 60 million population is literate. Moreover, the practice of studying abroad has long been widespread throughout the world.

However, this practice has increased in Pakistan over the past few years. Over 50,000 Pakistani students travel abroad for higher education each year. The United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, China, and Europe are the top study-abroad destinations for them, and most of them want to get work visas in these countries after completing their education. Miss Mariam, Supervisor at the Anatolia Travel Services Pvt Ltd, told WealthPK that it's difficult for youngsters to make ends meet these days. “They want to help their parents and the community, but how can they do that if their budget is so limited.

In this way, they long to leave abroad to support their families,” said Mariam. “Not everyone attends school today; approximately half of the pupils do not come from families that own successful enterprises. They expect some security, sporadic bonuses, medication, and health insurance when they begin working for an organization, and only Pakistan's top multinational corporations offer these benefits. People are scared to invest in starting their firms and providing jobs to other Pakistanis because the failure rate of startups is so high. Even if everything works out, the parents are reluctant to let their kids roam free in the public. When a country's unchanging environment makes parents uneasy, they consider moving to safer residences and towns,” Mariam said.

According to Mariam, the cost of schooling in European nations is quite low for non-citizens and free for citizens. The best example is Germany, which has more prospects for advancement and more cheap tuition than any other respectable university in Pakistan. “According to estimates, 6.65 million individuals were unemployed nationwide in the Fiscal Year 2020–21, up from 5.80 million in the previous fiscal year. There are countless examples, and the evidence is against us. Before we lose all the geniuses we have, the government and bureaucrats must intervene. The question is whether the government will recognize the problem before Pakistan loses its talent, intelligence, and creativity.”

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk