Pakistan’s population has reached an estimated 249,566,743, according to a statement delivered by Chief Census Commissioner Naeemuz Zafar. It’s a huge number for a small country like Pakistan with limited resources and ungovernable conditions. This huge population is resulting in a scarcity of jobs and opportunities countrywide, leading to an unemployment crisis.

Surprisingly, our population’s largest ratio comprises youngsters. For a long time, it was believed that the large ratio of the young population could be our asset and would lead our nation towards the path of development. But unfortunately, recent reports suggest that a large number of these young people are unskilled and uneducated.

The government should pay serious attention to providing the youth with useful skills and higher education, especially for the lower-income class, where access to education and skills should be made more accessible. Building more skill-based institutions is the need of the hour. Secondly, the government must take serious steps to control rapid population growth; otherwise, it could lead to an increase in crimes and terrorism due to a lack of jobs and high unemployment rates.

UBAID SAHIL,

Swat.