Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s interior minister and a prominent civilian figure, delivered a stark assessment of the country’s current challenges in a speech in Islamabad in late July. He characterized the system as collapsed, with a broken economy and increasingly restless youth. Referring to the “cockroach” protest movement, Naqvi warned that if these youths unite, they could destabilize the country, emphasizing the urgent need to provide jobs and opportunities based on merit.
Pakistan faces a demographic challenge unlike that of many mature economies. While other nations grapple with aging populations, Pakistan’s population continues to grow rapidly, with about one million more young people entering the workforce each year than the number of formal jobs available. The fertility rate has remained steady at 3.6 for two decades, and the population is projected to reach 400 million by 2050. However, spending on health and education is comparatively low for a lower-middle-income country, contributing to strained public services and limited economic opportunities.
The economic climate presents significant hurdles. Pakistan is contending with high public debt and inflation rates in double digits, which have eroded real wages. Businesses complain of rising costs and regulatory obstacles, while banks remain cautious in lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which employ the majority of the workforce. Experts suggest that addressing these broader economic problems is critical to managing the demographic pressure effectively.
Young Pakistanis across the country illustrate these challenges through their varied experiences. In Sindh, for example, Rida Memon, a 30-year-old teacher, is taking part in a pilot project using AI-powered tools to improve educational outcomes in a province where educational infrastructure is severely lacking. Many schools face shortages of electricity, clean water, and basic sanitation, while literacy rates have declined slightly in certain regions. The Population Council estimates that even if population growth slows to 2 percent annually, Pakistan will still need to build at least 55,000 new primary schools by 2040.
Malnutrition remains a serious concern, particularly in urban areas such as Karachi, where rising food prices have forced families to cut essential staples. A clinical nutritionist from UNICEF highlighted that malnutrition not only threatens infant survival but also impairs cognitive development and future productivity. Cultural constraints further limit opportunities, particularly for girls, with many young women unable to access formal education or employment.
Agriculture, which employs roughly 40 percent of the workforce, is under pressure due to shrinking trade routes, climate impacts, and increased costs. For many rural residents like 28-year-old Nanak Ram, limited prospects have prompted migration to urban centers in search of work, although finding stable employment remains difficult.
Amid limited domestic opportunities, many young Pakistanis seek to work abroad. Last year, over 700,000 left through legal channels, mostly for low-skilled jobs in Gulf countries, but increasing numbers of skilled professionals are also emigrating. The country benefits significantly from remittances, which totaled $41.6 billion in the year to June, a source of foreign exchange praised by the government’s top leadership. However, experts caution that overreliance on remittances may weaken long-term economic development and result in a loss of talent.
Female participation in the workforce remains particularly low, with unemployment among college-educated women reaching 34 percent. Despite societal and familial pressures, some young women like 19-year-old Khazeena Islam continue to pursue professional ambitions, balancing work and education while aiming to establish their own businesses.
Political and security tensions compound these socio-economic challenges. In Balochistan, where natural resource extraction intersects with longstanding insurgencies, activists report cases of enforced disappearances and repression. Student activist Fozia Baloch described the abduction of her brother by security forces and cited widespread fear, restricted educational opportunities, and poor healthcare as factors driving discontent. While the military attributes violence to foreign-supported militants, local activists contend that peaceful protest is met with harsh crackdowns, with some minority groups turning to armed resistance.
These interconnected demographic, economic, and political pressures underscore the complexity of governance challenges Pakistan faces. Analysts warn that without significant investment in education, healthcare, job creation, and political reconciliation, the country risks heightened instability and social unrest in the years ahead.