Pakistan’s youth are stuck between hope and despair as the country marks its 77th Independence Day
KARACHI: As Pakistan marks its 77th Independence Day, its young people are torn between hope and despair, reflecting the challenges facing the country but also highlighting the strength of its ties.
Pakistan was created in 1947 after breaking away from British India, sparking a bloody and violent mass migration on both sides. According to independent estimates, around 15 million people left the country, mainly based on religion, and more than one million were killed in religious riots.
Currently, around 64 percent of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 30, making it one of the youngest populations in the world, posing both challenges and opportunities, particularly in terms of education, employment and social development.
But persistent economic problems such as inflation and a lack of job opportunities are dampening the hopes and ambitions of Pakistan’s youth.
“The country’s economic situation is dire, inflation is rising and it has a very large young population,” Virsa Pirzad, the first female central chairperson of the Progressive Students Collective, which works for social justice, told Arab News.
“Despite having degrees, we face a shortage of employment opportunities.”
Lack of rights and a sense of political disenfranchisement are also major issues for young people, she added.
Indeed, as Pakistan’s young population has swelled to roughly half of the electorate in recent years, discontent with patriarchal politics and corruption has grown. Former cricketer and prime minister Imran Khan, perhaps Pakistan’s most popular politician even in prison, is tapping into young people’s desire for change and sparking a political awakening among a generation.
Now his party faces a government-led crackdown, and many young people say it is becoming increasingly difficult to speak out for their rights.
“There are serious human rights issues,” Pirzad said. “People are suffering because their rights are not being recognised and if they speak out they become targets for violence.”
Muhammad Yaqoob, a struggling actor and engineering student, said Pakistan’s prolonged economic difficulties have created a sense of urgency in the search for a better place to live.
“Many young people go abroad as they do not get proper facilities or good job opportunities in Pakistan,” he said. “Going abroad seems to be the best option.”
For some, it seems the only option, leading hundreds to make dangerous journeys illegally to European shores. Last June, a fishing boat carrying hundreds of illegal migrants capsized off the Greek coast, leaving many dead.
“The objective of Quaid-e-Azam is [Muhammad Ali Jinnah] “The wisdom of the people who created this country is not seen in the freedom we experience today,” says Sarfaraz Khan, a young banker.
“Inflation is evident and we are being crushed under its weight. Heavy taxes are imposed, electricity prices are rising and water is inadequate. You only need to visit one hospital to see the poor conditions. We don’t know where the country is heading.”
Huda Mehmood, a 24-year-old graphic designer, agreed that young people have little reason to hope for a better future.
“77 years is a long time and I feel like we are still stuck,” she told Arab News. “You hear promises of what will be done for young people, but nothing actually changes.”
However, Mehmood said frustration over these unfulfilled promises had not weakened ties with Pakistan.
“There are many good and bad things about Pakistan but I love it very much,” she added.
“Even if I go abroad, I would want Pakistan to be in a good position and a country where people say, ‘Look how far Pakistan has come.'”