Karachi's youth unemployment rate reaches 11.2%

Karachi: A recent study conducted by Gallup Pakistan and Policy Research, Innovation, Development Education (PRIDE) has revealed that the youth unemployment rate in Karachi has reached 11.2 percent.

The rate is highest in Sindh and the lowest rate is recorded in Larkana at 3.4 percent.

According to the research based on the Labour Force Survey 2020-21, the overall youth unemployment rate in Sindh stands at 3.9 percent.

Urban areas exhibit a higher youth unemployment rate of 5.9 percent, while rural areas have a lower rate of 2.1 percent.

The study further revealed that 21.9 percent of unemployed young female graduates in Sindh hold university degrees, while the figure stands at 20.3 percent for young men.

Bilal Gilani, the executive director of Gallup Pakistan, expressed concern over the lack of employment opportunities for the youth, stating, "We're failing this young generation by not providing employment opportunities or avenues for doing their own business. In this environment, should we continue to urge the youth to go to universities or join skill-based technical education programs?"

Approximately 41 percent of unemployed youth in Sindh have completed matriculation and intermediate levels of education, with varying ratios across different divisions of the province.