Brig. (retd) Aslam Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW), said on Friday that Pakistan is blessed with a sizeable youth population, which can benefit greatly. However, he said, such a youth population is a great window of opportunity that is not being taken advantage of; otherwise, Pakistan’s economic situation would have been different.

Aslam Khan said today that it is imperative to take prompt action to take advantage of this prospect since its loss could have far-reaching consequences. He said that 240 million people live in Pakistan, and the country’s population is expanding steadily at a pace of 2 per cent. In contrast, the population growth in the South Asian region is 1.2 per cent.

According to estimates, 38% of Pakistan’s population is under 15 years old, while 4% is 65 years of age or older. This results in a youth bulge since 58 per cent of those in the working age group are between the ages of 15 and 64. He observed that despite this gift, the population is not benefiting us, so the unemployment rate is very high, resulting in social problems.

He noted that numerous nations have capitalised on the demographic dividend by augmenting their labour pool, improving savings rates, and building up a well-educated and proficient workforce. It would not be shocking that many people attempt to cross borders illegally, sometimes even at great personal risk. Nevertheless, investing in our youth can lessen the risk of this situation.