Favoritism in Schools

By Tahseen Ullah  For decades, labour migration in Pakistan has largely been viewed as a response to unemployment and poverty. While this perspective has served its purpose, it no longer reflects the realities of today’s global economy. In the twenty-first century, labour mobility has become far more than an economic necessity—it is a strategic investment in human capital, national competitiveness and economic diplomacy. Countries that can produce skilled, certified and globally competitive workers will hold a distinct advantage in an increasingly interconnected labour market. As ageing populations, declining fertility rates and persistent labour shortages reshape developed economies, demand for skilled workers is rising across Europe, East Asia and other advanced markets. Pakistan, with one of the world’s youngest populations, is well positioned to seize this opportunity. The real challenge is not whether Pakistan has enough young people willing to work abroad, but whether it can equip them with internationally recognised skills, qualifications, language proficiency and professional competencies that meet evolving global labour market demands. Pakistan’s labour migration journey began with the establishment of the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment in 1971, following the Gulf oil boom. Since then, more than 15 million Pakistanis have migrated through regular channels, contributing significantly to infrastructure, healthcare, construction, transport and service sectors worldwide while improving the livelihoods of millions of families back home. Today, overseas employment remains one of Pakistan’s most important economic assets. According to BEOE, 862,625 Pakistanis migrated for employment in 2023, followed by 725,672 in 2024 and 762,499 in 2025, with early trends indicating sustained international demand in 2026. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Migration Report 2025 and the State Bank of Pakistan estimate workers’ remittances at approximately US$38.3 billion in FY2024–25, representing nearly 9.34 percent of GDP. These remittances strengthen foreign exchange reserves, reduce poverty and support macroeconomic stability. Yet labour migration has rarely been treated as a strategic pillar of Pakistan’s long-term economic planning. The global labour market is undergoing profound change. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, demographic shifts, technological advances and the green transition will create millions of new employment opportunities over the coming decade. Healthcare professionals, engineers, IT specialists, skilled technicians, renewable energy workers, construction professionals and caregivers are expected to remain in particularly high demand. Pakistan possesses a valuable demographic dividend, with nearly two-thirds of its population under the age of 30. However, this advantage will only translate into economic gains through sustained investment in education, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), international certification, digital skills and language training. The challenge is clear. The Pakistan Migration Report 2025 shows that nearly two-thirds of Pakistani migrant workers remain low-skilled or unskilled. While their contribution is invaluable, low-skilled employment often results in lower wages, limited career progression and greater vulnerability to labour market shocks. In contrast, highly skilled migrants generally access better jobs, stronger labour protections and significantly higher earnings. Pakistan must therefore move beyond a traditional labour export model towards a human capital export strategy. Success should no longer be measured simply by the number of workers leaving the country, but by the quality, productivity and global competitiveness of its workforce. Achieving this transformation requires comprehensive reforms. TVET institutions must align training with international occupational standards and labour market needs. Language education in German, Japanese, Korean and Italian, alongside digital literacy, workplace ethics and intercultural communication, should become integral components of workforce development. Market diversification is equally important. While Gulf Cooperation Council countries will remain Pakistan’s primary labour destinations, excessive dependence on one region exposes the country to geopolitical uncertainty and labour market fluctuations. Pakistan should actively expand regular labour mobility partnerships with Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Canada, where structural labour shortages continue to grow. Government-to-government labour mobility agreements should become a strategic priority. Such partnerships can enhance transparency, reduce recruitment costs, improve worker protection and strengthen employer confidence in Pakistani talent. Simultaneously, Pakistan should pursue mutual recognition of qualifications and internationally accepted skills certification to facilitate smoother labour market integration. Institutional coordination will also be essential. The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, together with the NAVTTC, provincial TEVTAs, Overseas Employment Promoters, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Pakistan’s overseas missions, should implement an integrated national labour mobility framework supported by labour market intelligence, digital recruitment platforms and evidence-based policymaking. Pakistan can draw valuable lessons from the Philippines, whose migration governance combines ethical recruitment, mandatory pre-departure orientation, comprehensive worker welfare and strong overseas support systems. Adapting these practices would strengthen Pakistan’s reputation as a reliable source of skilled and protected migrant workers. At the same time, addressing irregular migration must remain a national priority. Preventing dangerous migration routes requires expanding legal migration opportunities, strengthening career counselling, improving public awareness, dismantling human smuggling networks and ensuring aspiring migrants have access to reliable information and affordable recruitment services. Labour migration should no longer be viewed solely as a means of reducing unemployment or increasing remittances. It should be recognised as a cornerstone of Pakistan’s economic diplomacy, human capital development and long-term growth strategy. The countries that will lead the future of global labour mobility will not necessarily be those with the largest populations, but those that invest in producing highly skilled, internationally certified and globally competitive talent. Pakistan has already demonstrated its ability to contribute to the global workforce. The next step is to move beyond exporting labour to exporting talent. By investing in skills, strengthening institutions, diversifying labour markets and promoting ethical, well-governed migration, Pakistan can transform its demographic dividend into one of its greatest strategic advantages. The world is searching for talent. Pakistan has the youth. What it now needs is the vision to turn that potential into global human capital leadership. Tahseen Ullah is a development and migration sector practitioner specializing in labour mobility, migration governance, education and child protection. He can be reached at tahseenanthro@gmail.com

Karachi: Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho has inaugurated a new Opioid Agonist Maintenance Therapy (OAMT) Center at Jinnah Hospital to help people recovering from drug addiction. Speaking to the media the minister said the center will support people in gradually overcoming addiction and returning to a healthy normal life. Patients will receive medical treatment regular health monitoring counseling and rehabilitation services under one roof. Dr. Pechuho said the facility will be staffed by experienced doctors and trained healthcare workers who will closely monitor patients throughout their recovery. She also stressed the need to speed up HIV screening so that more cases can be detected early and  treated without delay. Commenting on reports of a patient’s death at Jinnah Hospital the health minister said that every loss of life is deeply tragic. If negligence was involved she said a full and transparent investigation must be carried out to identify those responsible. She added that no patient’s death should ever be treated as unimportant and strongly condemned any remarks that appeared to downplay such incidents.

By Engr. Saqlain Abid Geography is destiny. A nation cannot choose its neighbours, but it can choose how to live with them. The strongest defence in any democracy is not perpetual conflict but sustained diplomacy, confidence-building measures, and peaceful negotiations. Pakistan and Afghanistan are two countries bound by centuries of shared history, religion, culture, and ethnic ties. Yet, what was once described as a brotherly relationship has gradually transformed into one defined by mistrust, accusations, and strategic competition. Today, India has emerged as the third player in this evolving regional triangle.   What exactly went wrong? How did decades of goodwill give way to blame games and border tensions? And why is India now finding greater strategic space in Afghanistan? These questions have become even more relevant following Amnesty International’s allegations regarding Pakistan’s reported airstrikes on the Omeed Rehabilitation Centre near Kabul on 14 March. The organisation questioned Pakistan’s justification for the operation, while Islamabad firmly rejected the allegations and maintained that its forces targeted legitimate security threats. The competing narratives deserve careful examination.   The first perspective is that of Afghanistan. Following the withdrawal of US forces in 2021, Pakistan welcomed the Taliban’s return to power. General Faiz Hameed, then ISI chief, was closely associated with the Doha process, while the government of Imran Khan projected Pakistan as a key mediator in Afghanistan’s political transition. Relations initially appeared warmer than they had been for years.   However, the atmosphere soon changed. One of the major turning points was the case of Sharifullah, an alleged ISIS-K commander. Pakistan argued that his arrest strengthened its claims regarding cross-border terrorism and militant networks operating from Afghan territory. The Taliban leadership rejected these accusations, insisting that Afghanistan should not be blamed for Pakistan’s internal security challenges.   Instead of responding through military escalation, Kabul gradually diversified its diplomatic and economic partnerships. Trade with India expanded while commerce with Pakistan declined. Afghanistan increasingly relied on Iran’s Chabahar Port and the India-built Zaranj–Delaram Highway to reduce dependence on Pakistani transit routes. Although these alternatives are longer and more expensive, Kabul appears willing to pay that price in pursuit of greater strategic autonomy. For the Taliban government, sovereignty has become closely linked with economic independence.   The controversy surrounding the reported strike on the Omeed Rehabilitation Centre further widened the trust deficit. Human rights organisations questioned Pakistan’s account of the operation, while Islamabad maintained that the target was linked to militant activity and defended its actions as part of its counterterrorism campaign. The differing claims remain disputed and continue to shape international perceptions.   Pakistan’s narrative is considerably different. Islamabad maintains that the resurgence of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacks represents one of its greatest national security challenges. Successive governments have argued that militant groups continue to exploit Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan. From Islamabad’s perspective, stronger military action became unavoidable because diplomatic engagement failed to produce sufficient cooperation.   The arrest of Sharifullah also carried broader geopolitical significance. Pakistan’s intelligence cooperation with the United States strengthened Islamabad’s engagement with Washington. At the same time, the government accelerated the repatriation of undocumented Afghan migrants, arguing that national security required stricter border management. Critics viewed these measures as increasing pressure on the Taliban government, while Pakistan defended them as sovereign decisions taken in the national interest.   Perhaps the greatest strategic miscalculation, however, was underestimating how quickly a trusted partner could seek new alliances. History shows that when friends become rivals, they often understand each other’s vulnerabilities better than long-standing adversaries.   India forms the third side of this regional triangle. Over the past two decades, New Delhi has invested billions of dollars in Afghanistan through reconstruction projects, infrastructure, education, and trade. As relations between Islamabad and Kabul have deteriorated, India has found greater diplomatic space to strengthen its presence. Development assistance, expanding trade, and improved connectivity have gradually transformed India into an increasingly influential partner for Afghanistan.   The result is a new regional reality. Pakistan views Afghanistan primarily through the lens of security. Afghanistan seeks strategic independence and diversified economic partnerships. India has capitalised on the growing mistrust by expanding its diplomatic and commercial footprint.   Geography cannot be changed, but policies can. Pakistan and Afghanistan will remain neighbours regardless of political differences. Continued confrontation will benefit neither country, while diplomacy, intelligence cooperation, and mutual respect remain the only sustainable path forward. The future of South Asia will depend not on military victories but on whether Islamabad, Kabul, and New Delhi choose cooperation over confrontation.