24% educated males and 40% females are unemployed in Pakistan-Senate committee told

 Unemployment among young people is on the rise 

The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE)  painted a grim picture of the rising rate of unemployment across the country, underlining that 24 % of educated people were jobless at the moment. The young people are finding it hard to get jobs according to their qualifications and skills. 

The committee was also informed that 40 percent of educated women were also unemployed countrywide. Nearly 8.6 million people are unemployed at the moment in the country. This is the highest number of unemployed in Pakistan.  

The PIDE, in its briefing to the Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development meeting chaired by Saleem Mandviwala, said the unemployment rate in the country had reached 16 %, contrary to the government’s claim of 6.5 percent.

The term ‘educated’ here refers to those people who have acquired an undergraduate or graduate degree, which should enable them to find a job.

The PIDE officials pointed out that some educated people get themselves enrolled in M.Phil studies to continue learning as they struggle to fetch a better job. This also skewed the unemployment rate as they weren’t included in the figures.

                                            

The officials told the Senate committee that at least 1.5 million people applied for a peon’s position in a high court that was advertised recently. Even M.Phil degree holders employed for the job of peon. 

The Economic Survey 2020-21 released in June this year had revealed the spread of Covid-19 had severely affected employment conditions in the country and the suspension of economic activities due to imposition of lock downs rendered an estimated 20.71 million workers jobless.

Although, the economic activities have been resumed and many people returned to their jobs but unemployment rate has not returned to the pre-COVID-19 period. Millions are still looking for jobs.  

According to the survey, a large population and lack of proper management of human resources have also had a negative impact on the employment rate in the country.

“Pakistan being the fifth most populous country with the ninth largest labour force in the world, adds a large number to its workforce every year,” the report had pointed out.

                                          Rukhsana Manzoor Deputy Editor