Unemployment is common word nowadays. We may have noticed that in spite of education, there are many people that are without jobs. Widespread and persistent unemployment is one of serious macroeconomic problems, both developing and developed countries in world.

IMF report (1998) define as ‘Unemployment is measured annually as percentage of labor force that can’t find a job’. Unemployment also refers to number or proportion of people in working population that are unemployed.

After Independence it was believed that problem of unemployment would become a ‘myth of past’ and that not a single educated son or daughter of Free Pakistan would suffer from plight of unemployment. But situation took a different turn. Number of unemployment, especially among educated persons began to increase with alarming rapidity. In 1957, ten years after attainment of independence, Pakistan exhibited a grim spectacle of mass-unemployment and a committee, appointed by Government of Pakistan,

Pakistan is facing many challenges from lack of access to basic health care services, to poverty, illiteracy, women’s low status, unhygienic water supplies and sanitation and most important problem Pakistan is facing is unemployment. Pakistan has one of highest unemployment rate in world.

Unemployment rate in Pakistan is increasing and due to increasing amount of unemployment many crime takes place, Pakistan has a lot of natural resources but due to poor governance we can’t use them with full potential. You can find many educated people for example doctors, engineers and graduates roaming around for job in Pakistan but couldn’t find a job worth their education.

Unemployment is basically a persistent challenge that is facing Pakistan since its inception and it is one of biggest problems of Pakistan. According to current situation in Pakistan more than 30 lack people are unemployed and unemployment ratio is more than 12 percent.

Unemployment is obviously root of many evils and crimes. It spells starvation, disease and death on its victims. Young people who do not have any job or any source of income ultimately become indifferent to right and wrong, good and evil. Corruption, dishonesty, sin, crime and vices of all kinds are natural outcome of unemployment. From political point of view, unemployment is extremely harmful because it breeds discontent and a sense of insecurity in masses.

There are a number of causes of unemployment in Pakistan. Key cause of increasing unemployment ratio in Pakistan is increasing population. Failing law and order situation has slowed down tempo of economic activities. Karachi is biggest industrial base of country. But investors are reluctant to invest here due to continuous unrest and violence. Our educational system is also responsible for high unemployment rate among educational youth. Attitude of our youth towards choice of career is also unrealistic and unproductive. They only want to get some white-collar job. Pace of economic development of country is very slow. Mills and factories are unable to absorb all jobless people. Moreover, ill-planned mechanisation and computer technology are also causing unemployment. In our country, a few privileged persons control whole economy. Most of them are uneducated and unskilled. But, educated young men have neither capital nor opportunities to try their luck in business.  Over-urbanisation is one of major causes of increasing unemployment. Thousands of people from countryside and villages are coming towards big cities. In order to seek better job opportunities and for education of their children. This huge and rapid migration has also made situation worse than ever.

These are major reasons of unemployment but situation has now become very drastic that a highly educated person is now ready to do job of a sweeper to meet necessities of his family because government is not doing his work seriously.  Lack of political stability and proper political infrastructure also gives birth to joblessness. Rapid changes in governments and political instability surely create a sense of insecurity for foreign investors and local investors as well.

Large-scale unemployment has very bad effects on progress of country. Unemployed people do not take part in development of country. Moreover, unemployed people in any society suffer from an inferiority complex. They suffer from agony that they are worthless and good for nothing. Unemployment brings frustration and disappointment among educated as well as uneducated people.  One of primary aim of government should be elimination of unemployment. It is responsibility of government to provide job opportunities for youth to overcome increasing ratio of unemployment in country. Therefore, a comprehensive plan is required to combat unemployment. Education system should be reshaped to produce skilled manpower. Government should speed up pace of economic development. Especially, fields of energy telecommunication and transportation should be encouraged. Government should introduce self-employment schemes and set up small industries in rural and underdeveloped areas.  Problem of unemployment cannot be eliminated entirely. However, it can be alleviated with devotion, sincerity and wisdom.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 08 2023

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