Mahnoor Ahmed
Brain drain refers to the migration of highly educated and skilled professionals from one place lacking in opportunities to a place valuing and rewarding their capabilities. Unfortunately, for Pakistan, brain drain is a massive concern. According to a report in 2013, 2.7 million Pakistanis left the country in the preceding 5 years to secure their career and future. UNESCO claims that the skill shift from Pakistan has increased by more than 60% from 1992 to 2000 which indicates a dangerous increase in the brain drain of this country.
As a matter of fact, the blame is not to be engraved upon the individuals striving for a better and a secure future for themselves and their families to make the ends meet. In Pakistan, unless you are backed by a sufficiently influential business background or you are an employee of the government, chances for your survival and getting the basic necessities are difficult.
Let us ponder upon the possible reasons for this misfortune. With the increase of exposure and access to vast information, people have outgrown the orthodox of either stepping into medical science or engineering rather they are becoming increasingly competitive and passionate about their career choice but what is it that their own country is offering them? Barely substantial to fill their pockets and enable them to look after their families.
More than half of the students do not come from families with a business background. When they enter into their professional lives, after getting professional degrees, they look forward to a secure future along with a few other perks like occasional bonuses, health insurance etc but only a scarce number of multinational companies of Pakistan offers them such privileges let alone the fear of a safe living environment: this is where they yearn to move to foreign countries where it wouldn’t be a big deal for them to earn sufficient or getting the basic necessities of life free of cost. Majority of the European countries offer free education to their citizens and for foreigners, the fee is minimal. Germany is another leading example for offering enormous growth opportunities and the education fee is far less than any decent or worthy of consideration university in Pakistan.
However, if you go by the books and acquire the typical orthodox education and end up in working as an employee, you’ll find yourself at a better place than if you think about investing in a start up business as knowing about their failure rate would leave you petrified.
Eve n in the developed cities of Pakistan, sending a kid out alone sends shivers down the parent’s spine because of the ineffable criminal offences becoming a norm. Ultimately causing them to pack their bags and move to a safer country with better and secured future in terms of career as well as a safe living environment.
After all the sacrifices and the loss of valuable lives to acquire Pakistan, does it really deserve the irrefutable loss of skill in the name of brain drain? Doesn’t this nation deserve to be served with the same determination with which it was handed over to us?
All we are left now with is hope: hope that the government takes the necessary steps to make Pakistan powerful enough to convert this brain drain into brain gain.
