Whither jobs?

While speaking at the concluding session of two-day Deans International Conference of Engineering Institution, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said, “It is not the responsibility of the government to provide jobs to the people”. Though he later on in his Twitter message tried to defend his statement, it had already stirred up a real hornet’s nest on social media. Sadly, He had previously himself reiterated on several occasions that when the PTI came to power, it would provide 10 million jobs and build five million housing units for the poor. Now when the jobless youth are impatiently waiting for such jobs, Mr Chaudhry takes a U-turn – a hallmark of this government.

The minister also announced that the government is in the process of shutting down 400 departments, which is likely to cause more lay-offs. Reportedly, Pakistan needs to create two million jobs to absorb the young people who enter the market every year. Around four million youth are unemployed in the country; by 2020, this number is expected to rise to 8.6 million. With already no jobs available in the market, the disappointing statement by Mr Chaudhry has led to further depression.

Riaz Ahmad Soomro

Shikarpur