Pakistan – A land of vast resources and brilliant people – is a mantra we have grown up with, but over the years’ harsh realities hit. Almost 60% of the population of Pakistan consists of youth and the majority is hanging between education institutes and the job market. Every year, a boat sinks far away from Pakistan jolting us with our fellow beings disappearing in a miserable accident. From 2014 to 2024, 8 such tragedies happened including the Mediterranean Boat Tragedy, Aegean Sea Capsizing, Libyan Tragedy, Sahara Desert Deaths, Mediterranean Boat Disaster, Greek Coast Tragedy and the Mediterranean Drowning Incident. The first accident of 2025 took the lives of 44 Pakistanis in another tragic boat disaster on the way to Spain.
Walking Borders has reported a record number of deaths in 2024 i.e 10,457 migrants – dying while attempting to reach Spain, mostly along the Atlantic route from West African countries like Mauritania and Senegal. The sorrow of parents, siblings, and children left behind is immeasurable –a cycle of grief and debt that destroys futures.
Despite the devastating toll, desperation drives more and more people to embark on these illegal journeys, seeking the faintest glimmer of hope beyond Pakistan’s borders, even at the risk of their lives. Over time, the government of Pakistan has taken strict actions against human smugglers and officials aiding them. But, it is questionable whether these steps would stop illegal immigration as demand and supply rule the market. In the 2023 Libya boat tragedy, the smuggler was arrested and it was found that he extorted Rs. 2.4 million from victims and was part of an international trafficking gang.
These criminal rackets will continue human trafficking for different reasons and stay one step ahead of the law with their ever-changing tactics. The lack of jobs drives workers to illegal emigration and jobless educated individuals resort to increasingly desperate measures.
According to a study by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), nearly 40% of Pakistanis (Urban Areas) and 36% (rural) expressed a desire to leave the country, citing economic challenges, political instability, unemployment, inflation, terrorism, and limited educational opportunities as the key reasons.
The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) established that Pakistan has climbed to fifth place in 2023 among countries with the highest number of illegal immigrants whereas, in 2022, it was not even among the top 10 countries for illegal migration. Smuggling rackets operate in all provinces of Pakistan.
The main hubs for human trafficking are Gujranwala, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Karachi, and Peshawar. Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, is a strategic location for traffickers due to its proximity to the borders of Afghanistan and Iran. Taftan is a critical juncture for overland routes used by smugglers for transportation to Iran and then Europe.
Traffickers in these regions often deceive individuals with false promises of employment abroad, resulting in exploitation. A primary cause of this inhumane activity is the large number of unskilled youth who have limited or no access to decent job opportunities. In many countries, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has historically been undervalued as a career path, with a predominant focus on traditional academic education.
However, technical and skill-based education is vital in today’s rapidly evolving global economy. Many countries like Singapore have successfully integrated Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) into their education systems, showing how investing in future-oriented skills can drive economic prosperity and enhance global competitiveness. Singapore’s skills-first approach aligns education and training with the changing needs of the labour market, utilizing technology, data, and collaboration among various stakeholders to prepare a competitive workforce for the global stage.
In Pakistan, in addition to traditional education, Madrasas (Religious education institutes) are common where underprivileged children get free food, shelter and religious education. While madrasas serve as commendable philanthropic institutions, students graduating from these programs frequently find themselves struggling to navigate the modern world. How many mosques could be built for thousands of Madrasas (approximately 30,000 to 70, 000) to employ their graduates?
In Islamabad, the capital, every sector plan has approved 2 mosques only. But one can find a mosque on every other street of a sector, without approval from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) – an easy way of unlawful possession of the state land. If students are taught digital or manual skills, they can earn by using those skills.
After the enactment of the Madrasa Registration Bill, the government must ensure that all registered Madrasas incorporate both compulsory education and technical training into their curricula to integrate their graduates into modern society.
It is essential to provide technical and vocational training alongside compulsory education (Matric). Establishing legal migration channels, such as work visas and skill-based programs can help address unemployment, poverty, and skill shortages among our youth. By tackling root causes and dismantling smuggling networks, the country can reduce illegal immigration and its risks.
With a population exceeding 240 million, the urgent need for investment in human capital is evident to tap into our demographic dividend. The labour market is growing faster than the population, which is currently at 3.2 births per woman, the highest in South Asia. The alarming situation includes a 40% stunting rate among children and over 78% learning poverty. These alarming figures highlight the urgent need to equip the growing workforce with relevant skills.
If we overview the skill development sector in Pakistan, the government realised its importance quite late – early 2000s. A major milestone was the establishment of the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) in 1999. In 2005, the National Vocational and Technical Education Commission (NAVTEC) was created as a regulatory body to oversee TVET in Pakistan and serve as a link between various stakeholders. Additionally, each province has established its own TEVTA authority to monitor and regulate vocational and technical education at the local level.
In 2005, there were only 747 TVET institutions in Pakistan but according to the latest Pakistan Education Statistics 2022-23, there are a total of 4,406 TVET institutions, serving 453,957 students with the assistance of 40,889 teachers. When analyzed collectively, male students account for 67% of total enrollment, while female students represent 33%. Similarly, male teachers make up 88% of the workforce, whereas female teachers constitute just 12%. This gender disparity highlights the need for further efforts to promote gender inclusion in TVET education and teaching professions.
The dismal state of this sector is evident by a report published by the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) that despite governmental and international efforts, only 6% of Pakistan’s youth possess technical skills, with only 2.5% receiving on-the-job training.
The TVET sector enrols fewer than 0.5 million students, while the National Skill Strategy (2009-2013) identifies a national demand for 950,000 skilled workers. This gap is worsened by inadequate budget allocations, outdated curricula, and insufficient teacher training materials, which fail to align with local and global job market requirements.
Since 2014, reforms in technical education have introduced Competency-Based Training (CBT) in Government Technical and Vocational Centres (GTVCs), aligning training with industry standards to improve employability. The National Skills for All Strategy (2018) promotes planning and quality assurance in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), encouraging industry collaboration and equitable access.
The Prime Minister’s Youth Skill Development Program (PMYSDP) benefits over 25,000 youth yearly, with 35% being women. Initiatives like the Skill Verification Program and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) aim to certify the skills of those trained in the informal sector, especially through the ‘Ustad-Shagird’ system.
The Matric-Tech Program combines technical training with high school education in areas like automotive repair and electronics, although access to these initiatives is still limited for some.
These programs must reach every district of Pakistan, especially far-flung areas of Balochistan, KPK, and Gilgit Baltistan. The regional imbalance prevails in skill development – youth in underdeveloped areas have fewer opportunities to acquire technical skills, perpetuating cycles of poverty and unemployment. The lack of facilities in remote regions further isolates these populations from accessing TVET programs. Despite improvements in technical education, the challenge of exporting skilled labour from Pakistan remains unaddressed. A critical issue is the lack of international skill certification, which severely limits employment opportunities abroad.
NAVTTC must ensure collaboration with global certification bodies like the International Certification Authority (ICA) to enable workforce certification through NAVTTC-affiliated training centres. Pakistan has recently partnered with Saudi Arabia under the Takamol Skill Verification program, ensuring that Pakistani workers meet international skill standards.
Through NAVTTC’s assessments, workers in trades like masonry, electrical work, and automobile technology receive dual certification from Saudi Arabia’s SVP and NAVTTC, enhancing employability by making certification a requirement for skill visas.
Additionally, City & Guilds has teamed up with TUSDEC to conduct examinations in Pakistan, resulting in over 5,400 certifications in electrical engineering and construction fields. TUSDEC’s subsidiary, SkillTech International, supports this initiative by providing high-quality training that is aligned with global industry standards. These initiatives are commendable but need to be scaled up and expand the range of trades in the certification programs.
The government and private sector should collaborate to position Pakistan as a global supplier of skilled labour. We need more training and testing centres in remote areas to ensure equitable access. Providing subsidies for registration and testing fees will help low-income candidates.
International donors like GIZ, the EU, the UN, and the British Council can assist with funding and logistics. Initiate student loan schemes to finance technical education and to acquire international skill certificates, will encourage them to learn a skill and go abroad through credible means. Additionally, raising public awareness about the benefits of international certifications can boost participation.
By prioritizing TVET and drawing lessons from successful models like Singapore, Pakistan can address its domestic labour needs, while positioning its surplus skilled labour for international markets, turning a potential economic burden into an opportunity for growth.
Starting small, even if it’s delayed, can lead to significant changes – it is better to start late than never to break the vicious circle of poverty. Otherwise, this youth bulge will become a burden on this already struggling economy and hopes will continue drowning in seas of cruelty.
