Amid a slump in the economy and hyperinflation, a large number of Pakistanis, particularly the younger population, are trying to move abroad in search of employment and scholarship opportunities.
According to a media report, more than 450,000 Pakistanis have left for various countries during the first quarter of 2023.
The outflow of Pakistanis can be witnessed by visiting passport offices and immigration centres where long queues of passport and visa seekers can be seen these days. A large number of young people are also trying to move abroad on educational scholarships.
However, some circles described this huge outflow of people including the skilled citizens a good omen, saying these people would become a good source of additional foreign remittances in Pakistan.
During visits to passport offices, this correspondent observed almost a twofold increase in the number of applicants seeking passports to move to different destinations across the world.
Recently, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar highlighted the ‘positive’ aspect of Pakistanis going abroad for better opportunities and called this trend both a challenge and an opportunity for the nation.
Presiding over a recent meeting of the federal cabinet, the prime minister said that professional education and vocational training programmes should be prepared on a par with needs of the international markets.
Earlier this month, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Jawad Sohrab Malik urged the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to take in over one million Pakistanis annually for Saudi Vision 2030.
“Currently, about 5 million Pakistanis proceed to Saudi Arabia annually. There is a real prospect of this figure rising to over one million,” Mr Malik added.
