OVER the last many years, a large number of people, especially the educated young, have moved abroad in search of financial stability. In Pakistan, only a small perc-entage of students secure admission to universities, and many of them struggle to find a place in the job market.

Moreover, the salary a fresh graduate gets in a massive majority of cases fails to cross the Rs50,000 mark. And this, mind you, is for those who actually get a paid job.

This makes it nearly impossible for them to support family expenses. These factors compel the graduates to consider relocating to meet their won and their families’ expectations of achieving a more stable future.

Although monetary concerns are also prominent, there are deeper underlying issues at play. Basic rights, including access to healthcare, social security and affordable education, are among the top expectations of individuals in society, and rightly so.

The state of law and order remains a significant concern. Political instability has severely damaged the governance framework, adding to the darkness a young individual feels these days.

As is common, once people start thinking in terms of exploring opportunities abroad, many around them raise the issue of patriotism and one’s commitment to the motherland.

Frankly speaking, it is time to redefine patriotism. Instead of holding youngsters back, we should encourage them to prior-itise themselves and the wellbeing of their families. This is the only practical way of being able to do something for the country. We need to have a pragmatic view of patriotism.

As such, once abroad, people should invest some part of their earnings in meaningful projects. This investment should be for the national cause. We must encourage those struggling in Pakistan to go abroad with a sense of larger purpose than mere self-growth.

Initially, people can help stabilise the Pakistani economy through remittances using official channels.

In the long run, well-established gra-duates can get greater margins when investing in Pakistan itself, where the cost of labour and material is much lower than in most other countries. We must redefine patriotism in a way that aligns with our own goals and national interests. The patriotism of a successful Pakistani abroad is practically worth a lot more than a struggling Pakistani in Pakistan.

Mohsan Raza
Faisalabad

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2024