Development Dialogue
Conversation between friends about
unemployment problem
Habib: The unemployment problem in Pakistan
has become very serious in the recent years. The economic well being of our
country depends greatly upon the solution of this problem.
Anee: During the present oil crisis even very
highly advanced countries like England, France, Italy, U.S.A. etc are also
facing this problem of unemployment.
Kushaf: Of course, in the communist countries
like Russia, China etc. the problem of unemployment can be solved very easily by
employing all the idle population on any available job.
Naz: You are right. In the constitution of
Russia work is both a right and duty. It is the responsibility of the state
there to provide work to the people.
Majid: It is written in their constitution
that the who shall not work, neither shall he eat.
Aqib: There is a move in Pakistan also that
we should include the right to work in our fundamental rights.
Riaz: Unemployment is a big waste of man
power. It means that while the people are will to work, they have to work to do.
It is a sort of forced idleness in the absence of work.
Naz: Unemployment is one of the most
important reasons of Pakistan's poverty and backwardness.
Imran: The employment exchanges are full of
the unemployed persons.
Majid: the problem of unemployment is acute
not only in the urban areas but also in the rural areas.
Habib: It is for this reason that thousands
of villagers go to the cities in search of employment opportunities.
Anee: Due to unemployment problem 40 % population of Pakistan is living below the poverty line.
Naz: there are so many causes of unemployment
in Pakistan, like increasing population, defective system of education,
backwardness of our agriculture, slow rate of industrialization etc.
Kushaf: The fact is that millions of
uneducated young men and women and leaks of Matriculates, Graduates, and
post-Graduates swell the number of unemployed in our country annually.
Aqib: Even highly trained persons like
doctors, engineers and scientist also face the problem of unemployment.
Anee: Here one reason may be that these
highly trained persons like doctors, engineers and scientists instead of
starting their own ventures simply run after the government jobs.
Riaz: These people depend too much upon the
government agencies for providing them with the jobs, They have no ambition to
start their own factories, hospitals or Iaboratories and independent work.
Imran: I think is no single solution which
can be wholly sufficient for solving the problem of unemployment in our country.
Majid: I agree whit you. I think first of all
the village and cottage industries in the villages should be developed. If the
villages become self-sufficient in their economy, villages would not run
to the cities in search of jobs.
Naz: In my opinion, the system of present
education should also be changed radically. Instead of giving only theoretical
education the students should be given vocational training so that they can
start some work after they finish their education.
Riaz: I agree with both of you and I feel
that side by side the country should also be industrialized on a very fast pace
so that more and more jobs can be created for the workers.
Aqib: In this regard, I would submit that
more and more lab our intensive industries and export oriented industries should
be set up to solve the unemployment problem.
Naz: I think that setting up of
agro-industries in the rural areas like manufacture of agricultural implements,
agriculture based industries like khandsari, fruit canning, apple juice etc. can
also go a very long way in improving the unemployment situation. It can also
improve the economic condition of the villages.
Kushaf: I think that the new educational
formula popularly known as 10+2+3 which is vocation oriented, is also right step
in the direction of solving the unemployment problem.
Imran: There has been demand from certain
sections of the unemployed that they should be granted the unemployment
allowance. But in my opinion giving doles to the unemployed persons is not going
to solve this problem.
Naz: This will on the other hand make our
unemployed youth lazy and work shirkers.
Aqib: You are right. We all agree with you.
The government must take certain positive and constructive steps to solve this
problem. But there is no need of giving unemployment allowance or doles to the
unemployed.