ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel was informed on Thursday that the unemployment rate in the country stands at 6.3 percent with the highest percentage affecting youth aged 15-34.

The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development which met here with Junaid Akbar Khan in the chair, was given a detailed briefing by the secretary of the ministry.

In an online briefing to the committee, the secretary highlighted the importance of remittances from the Pakistani diaspora as a crucial source of income for the country.

He emphasised that the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development can play a pivotal role in national development by focusing on skilled labour and leveraging the diaspora’s potential to drive investment and knowledge transfer back to Pakistan.

He also discussed the ongoing demand for overseas workers, the diversification of skills to meet employers’ needs and the improvements in the governance of the emigration process to reduce response times.

He informed the panel about institutional restructuring efforts aimed at boosting remittances, promoting investment, and engaging the diaspora effectively to support national development.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024