It is an embarrassment for the scholarly community of Pakistan that six PhD scholars went abroad on the government-funded Faculty Development Programme (FDP) but never returned. Resultantly, the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly has directed the HEC to recover Rs45.7 million from these scholars. The FDP is designed to help universities selected by the HEC enhance their teaching capacity by sending scholars to Canada and the UK for developing their teaching skills. HEC has in turn filed a case for recovery but NAB has suggested filing a legal suit against these scholars in court.
The failure of these scholars to return to the country, and more importantly to their jobs, shows just how damaging brain drain has become. Pakistan already lacks competent professionals in almost every field, yet no comprehensive plan has been formulated to encourage them to stay and give back to society. Pakistan has not been able to acknowledge its scholars adequately and most jobs that require a high level of intellect are given to those less qualified, since nepotism continues to persist across major institutions. In other countries, however, scholars are given a much higher degree of respect and compensation. Perhaps the biggest consideration remains the deplorable standard of living and deteriorating socio-economic conditions. Countless surveys have indicated that the majority of the youth and young adults want to leave the country to pursue a better financial future for their families. No one can blame them for wanting to choose a stable and healthy life that Pakistan is not able to give them.
These are the very obvious root causes that officials need to target in order to stop the draining of intellectual resources. While the disappeared scholars have made matters worse for others who hope to achieve funds through the state, this should be a wake-up call for the government. Prudent measures need to be taken to retain scholars and professionals who can help pave the path towards growth and progress.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2022.
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