Unemployment and Covid-19: The Way Forward For Pakistan

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It goes without saying that work during Covid-19 has received an abysmal blow. Employees everywhere are facing abrupt layoffs, and thus are encountering overwhelming miseries, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. Against this backdrop, however, there are a couple of countries that have operationalized extensive plans, embodying creativity and innovation, to cushion workers from the unprecedented shocks of the day as well as of tomorrow. In the similar vein, it is imperative for Pakistan to realize the gravity of current circumstances and hence bring forward a long-term plan to overhaul the employment sector.

For that the state must initially work on building a consensus among various stakeholders in the concerned quarters. After having done with that, the key priority ought to be given to economic growth. Although achieving a sustained rate of recovery is challenging, it is the key to the pains of workforce in the country. Some part of the solution also lie in income generation. Unless there are measures taken as to this aspect, it seems almost impossible that the already marginalized will survive the ever rising inflation. However, only ensuring economic development and livelihoods might not alone suffice. Since most of the obstacles for a greater portion of the population in the state stem from entrenched inequality and multidimensional poverty, policymakers need to make sure that potential growth benefits the underprivileged sufficiently, and in an equitable way. That is to say, due consideration should be given to the structure of economy in order to redefine its fundamental objectives. Likewise, as many experts argue, it is high time that the informal sector was integrated with the formal economy, but in a way that should not compromise the former's benefits. Last but not the least, the state leadership must think about addressing the issue of earning capacities and countering quality-quantity trade-offs in education, as it is the quality education that underlies prosperity of a state.

In a nutshell, all that is required is serious contemplation of the ongoing challenges so that the officials should recognize that without a long-term visions, the state may not survive the ensuing flood of unemployment.

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