KARACHI:
The rapidly increasing population, decline in the primary or agricultural sector, and increased rural to urban migration are some of the main causes underlying the rising unemployment in Pakistan. While the population has increased almost threefold, the resources in the country remain limited.
Given the limited economic growth and development coupled with low literacy rates, employment opportunities in cities remain scarce. The influx of cheap labour has compelled most people to undertake menial jobs whilst others are drawn towards illegal or criminal activities. This will put yet another strain on the country’s resources as the government will be required to spend more on tackling rising crime rates.
Consequently, the government should devise and implement policies to tackle the different challenges. Dealing of land should be banned and instead, the government should purchase the land in rural areas and create employment opportunities by adapting to new agricultural methods. The government should incentivise companies and investors to expand in rural areas as it will create employment opportunities and lead to development in these areas. More importantly, the government should work on controlling the population through campaigns on family planning and contraceptive methods. People should be informed of the negative impact of a large population. Also, there should be a simultaneous effort to raise literacy levels by attracting more students towards education. To ensure the effectiveness of these campaigns and policies, they should be tailored according to the different population groups. Timely measures must be taken otherwise the country will soon descent towards complete chaos.
Noorullah Bacha
Islamabad
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2022.
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