We have heard that the “destiny of na­tions lies in the hands of youth,” and we know that youth is a valuable resource. Because of this, they play a significant part in the growth of the nation, but they also face a number of contemporary obstacles as a result of a lack of support, including iden­tity crises, low self-esteem, depressing feelings, moral dilemmas, and uncertain­ty about the future. They are ensnared in a violent, drug-filled, and gun-filled soci­ety. All of this leads to an unstable economy, lost foreign investor trust, law-breaking, and societal disintegration.

The largest issue currently affecting our youth is depression. Our young are being slowly killed by this issue. Pakistani youth lack awareness, jobs, and access to healthy leisure and healthcare. Anxi­ety is causing frustration to grow daily. The youth’s greatest weapon is education. They can guide their nation towards progress in this way. Regretful­ly, our children—especially the impoverished—still have dreams of receiving a high-quality, skill-based education. Students are not provided with official guidance while choosing a course of study. A blended education system does not exist. Our colleges and universities have evolved into com­puterized machines that award degrees. Education is genuinely about the future of the young people, not just about grades.

“The youth’s greatest weapon is education. They can guide their nation towards progress in this way. Regretfully, our children—especially the impover­ished—still have dreams of receiving a high-quality, skill-based education.”

Unemployment is one of the main issues facing our youthful population. They don’t get hired after their education to put their abilities to work help­ing their country. This is the outcome of the govern­ment’s inappropriate employing of youth. Low in­vestment and consequently few job prospects in the nation are also caused by worsening circumstances. A complicated and multifaceted issue, unemploy­ment feeds a vicious circle of other issues like drug misuse, poor young political engagement, bank and home robberies, social insecurity, and lawlessness.

One of the main issues facing our youth is pover­ty. They are unable to pursue their interests and re­ceive a top-notch education because of a lack of re­sources. Our children are being weakened by the sickness of poverty. They can’t serve their coun­try and reach their full potential. Parents want to put their children to work rather than classroom because of poverty and unemployment. The most heartbreaking thing is that young people commit suicide themselves out of pure desperation. They don’t realize how important their lives are, and they waste them. Drug misuse, destitution, jobless­ness, and personal failures are the main contribu­tors to this epidemic.

In addition, our youth face barriers from re­stricted systems and parental pressure. Our youth are unable to make independent judgments about their futures due to constraints from society. They are also unable to pursue their aspirations. Lastly, the media has had very little influence on the up­bringing of our young people. The real problems that arise at the local, provincial, and national levels must be covered by the media. The media’s role as the voice of the general public must be crucial. Even with so many issues, the government still has time to implement some sensible measures. Pakistan has a relatively high proportion of young people in its population. The youth population is a resource, not a liability, that the government should embrace. The saying “the destiny of nations lies in the hands of the youth” is something we must never forget.

Engr. Yaqoob Ali Baloch
The writer is currently working as a researcher in Mehran UET, Jamshoro. He can be reached at yaqoobalibaloch4@gmail.com