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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

By Amir Ismaiel August 12 is observed around the world as International Youth Day. The day is observed on the recommendation of the United Nations to highlight the problems faced by young people, recognise their important role in economic and social development, and ensure their meaningful participation in decision-making. The theme of International Youth Day 2026 is “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.” The theme recognises that young people live in different national, local and social conditions, but their basic hopes are almost the same everywhere. They want a dignified life, equal opportunities, good employment, quality education and a safe and secure future. Pakistan has 64% of those who are under the age of 30, out of the 64% half of the numbers are in educational institutions and rest of them are out with some of the reasons. We are among the countries that spend the least on education, allocating around 2% of its total budget to the education . India spends around 4% while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh allocate around 2% or less. The United Nations recommends that 4% should be allocated to education. Pakistan has more than 190 universities including private and government over 100 sub-campuses, with nearly two million students studying in higher education. Providing four to five million jobs for these students in the coming years will be essential. University students face many problems in their daily routine on campus, These include rising fees, low quality of education, a lack of research opportunities, shortage of hostels and transport, inequality and harassment. At the school level, more than 15 million children are still out of school, these stats are same for years . Poor educational facilities, shortage of furniture, lack of clean drinking water, shortage of teachers and limited funding are among the main reasons. The state of higher education is also worrying. Only one Pakistani public university, Quaid-i-Azam University is among the world’s top 500 universities, while around 10 Indian universities are included in the same list. These figures raise serious questions about government priorities and the gap between official claims and the actual condition of education. Theme of International Youth Day directly connects with the problems faced by Pakistani youth. Quality education, decent employment, mental health and meaningful participation in decision-making have remained major issues for young people for decades. These problems have also increased frustration, intolerance and extremism among youth . When an educated person fails to achieve his or her goals because of a lack of merit and fair opportunities frustration naturally grows. Unfortunately, youth in Pakistan still lack a clear vision for their future and meaningful government support. The Prime Minister’s Youth Programme has mainly focused on initiatives such as laptops and scholarships, but there is a need for a much broader plan covering employment, career development, mental health and future opportunities for youth . Holding one or two youth conferences during the year cannot be enough to address these issues.Climate change has become a major challenge for the world, but Pakistan still needs a stronger plan to involve young people in dealing with it. There is also a lack of awareness and practical programmes through which young people can contribute to tackling climate change. Mental health is another serious issue. The United Nations continues to highlight the importance of addressing mental health problems among young people, but in Pakistan the issue has not received the attention it deserves. In many countries, educational institutions have dedicated departments and support systems for students’ mental health and wellbeing. Pakistan needs similar facilities. Reports of serious mental health problems and suicides among students should be treated as a national concern. Today’s students wants to see solutions to its problems through its own participation and leadership. Across Asia, the growing role of Generation Z in political and government affairs has been remarkable. India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka have witnessed major youth movements in which youth have challenged governments and demanded political and social change. Youth are also important stakeholders in educational institutions. Around the world students participate in student unions and societies, which help them develop both academic and personal skills. Debates, dialogue, sports and other activities help students build confidence, leadership and communication skills. In countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, students are generally allowed to form unions and societies in educational institutions. These organisations are supported by universities and provide students with opportunities to develop leadership and democratic skills. Many people who later become successful in medicine, science, social sciences, sports, politics and other fields gain valuable experience through such activities during their student years. The well-known historian Dr Mubarak Ali wrote in his book Tareekh Ke Naye Zaviye that when ideological politics began among young people in the subcontinent, nationalism was one of its early forms. Students became divided between the political right and left. However, this ideological debate also encouraged students to read and study different ideas. They began to understand society and its structure through different political and social perspectives. This process helped young people develop stronger intellectual and political awareness. Democratic societies recognise the right of students to participate in political and democratic activities. In Pakistan, however, student unions have faced restrictions for almost three decades. They were banned mainly because of allegations of political violence and clashes on campuses. As a result, universities lost an important platform for political discussion, debate on social issues and dialogue on national affairs.The culture of student unions in the 1990s are very different from the environment today. In the age of artificial intelligence, social media and digital communication, educational institutions can develop a new and more responsible model of student representation. Pakistan needs to create an environment where youth can discuss their problems through dialogue and democratic participation. Students should be represented in educational decision-making bodies and given a meaningful role in consultation. Instead of taking their problems to the streets, young people should have proper platforms where they can present their concerns directly to policymakers and

By Ali Hiader Pakistan has gradually become a testing ground for government projects. Governments experiment with massive infrastructure projects costing billions, and when the results fall short of expectations, another project of the exact same nature is launched. The tragedy is that while other countries may well be learning from Pakistan’s experiments, we have completely failed to learn from them. Punjab’s public transport system serves as a clear example of this. Currently, there are three major metro bus projects operating in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Multan, while two additional projects are under construction in Faisalabad and Gujranwala. The total length of the existing metro bus routes is approximately 70 kilometers, served by around 167 buses. In Lahore, a city with a population of nearly 20 million, only 66 buses operate along a 27-kilometer route; this indicates that a substantial amount of public funds have been allocated to cover only a limited area. It is also essential to consider the cost of these projects. Approximately 30 billion rupees were spent on the Lahore Metro Bus project, around 38 billion rupees on the Rawalpindi Metro Bus, and about 29 billion rupees on the Multan Metro Bus; thus, the total cost … is approximately 97 billion rupees. However, the matter does not end there. Subsequently, Lahore was gifted another major transport project—the Orange Line Metro Train—with a total cost of approximately 300 billion rupees. The issue is not that governments are making a mistake by investing in public transport; public transport is indispensable in expanding cities and can play a vital role in improving the mobility of ordinary citizens. The real question is whether a developing country like Pakistan can afford a transport system that requires the government to provide massive annual subsidies for its operation. According to reported figures, Punjab’s three Metro Bus projects collectively require an annual subsidy of approximately Rs 21 billion, while the Orange Line Metro Train also requires annual government financial support. This means that, even years after the initial construction costs were paid, taxpayers continue to bear the expenses of these projects. Meanwhile, passengers still face issues such as overcrowding, long wait times, and limited service capacity. The Punjab government’s new green electric bus project merits attention from a different reason. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s administration has proposed a plan to deploy 5,000 electric buses across Punjab over five years at an estimated total cost of PKR 300 billion. While this cost is relatively lower than that of Lahore’s existing Metro Bus and Orange Line Train systems, the project offers the added advantage of not requiring heavy infrastructure—such as dedicated metro corridors or rail networks; existing roads and bus stops suffice, and operations are far more flexible than current public transport systems. A driver and a conductor are all that is needed to operate a bus. Most importantly, electric buses can provide public transport services to a vast population with relatively low infrastructure costs. In principle, this model is particularly well-suited to a province where millions of citizens still lack access to reliable public transport.However, Punjab has previously experimented with conventional bus-based public transport; projects like the Speedo service and BUSCO were launched in Lahore and its surrounding areas with similar objectives. The BUSCO project, in particular, ultimately became a prime example of how a public welfare system can shut down when governments fail to plan for the long-term management of public assets. Today, these buses lie in a state of ruin, whereas they could have been properly sold, relocated, or repurposed. This is precisely why the Green Bus project requires a different financial model. For developing countries like Pakistan, it is extremely difficult to sustain public amenities that rely on perpetual subsidies. Whenever the government faces a financial crisis or a shortage of funds, these buses will eventually end up as nothing more than wrecks. A transport system that cannot survive without billions of rupees in annual government aid is, at its core, a weak system. To ensure that the project runs effectively, it is essential to operate it on a “no-profit, no-loss” basis so that it remains sustainable for years to come. Fares should be structured so that, following the initial government investment, the system can at least cover its own operating, repair, and maintenance costs, as well as the expense of future bus replacements. While it is acceptable for the government not to make a profit, it must avoid creating a system that requires billions of rupees in annual subsidies merely to remain operational.At the same time, the number of buses must be sufficient for public transport to truly serve as an alternative to private vehicles. Currently, passengers face severe overcrowding, long waits, and uncomfortable journeys. If traveling by government bus means enduring extreme overcrowding, public transport cannot persuade people to leave their motorcycles and cars at home.Kasur serves as a prime example of this situation. The Kasur district, with a population of approximately 3.8 million, has received only 12 ‘Green Buses’ so far—buses that are smaller than those operating in Lahore. Yet, for a population of this size, the number of buses should have been far greater. If the government genuinely wants people to prioritize public transport, it must increase the fleet size to a level where passengers can travel in comfort and dignity, rather than having to grapple with one another just to secure a spot on a bus.Punjab now has the opportunity to learn from its past. Instead of viewing every public transport project merely as an occasion for inauguration or a publicity stunt, Maryam Nawaz should focus on its long-term sustainability. The true measure of a project’s success is not how impressive it looks on the day of its inauguration, but rather how effective, affordable, and financially sustainable it remains even ten or twenty years down the line.Punjab certainly needs better public transport. However, the province requires systems that prioritize sustainability, accessibility, and public convenience over political symbols. The government should undertake fewer projects that remain perpetually dependent on taxpayers’