British Council - Next Gen Research Report 2023

Pakistan – The
Next Generation
Report 2023
www.britishcouncil.org/
research-policy-insight
Copyright: Umar Farooq
Contents
Foreword ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................................................. 3
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Key Findings ................................................................................................................................................................................5
Background ..................................................................................................................................................................................7
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................................9
Research Design & Methodology ........................................................................................................................................11
Analytical Framework for Research ................................................................................................................................. 14
Portrait of a Generation ....................................................................................................................................................... 16
E1: Environment ................................................................................................................................................................... 22
Generation Next Vs. Now: The role of families and intergenerational gap .............................................. 23
Insecure Lives: Social Marginalisation on the Basis of Gender and Disability ........................................ 24
Gender and Youth ......................................................................................................................................................... 25
Persons with Disability (PWDs) ................................................................................................................................. 26
An Economy in Crisis: Financial Decline and Youth Prospects ..................................................................... 27
The Perils of Polarization: Social and Political Divisions ................................................................................. 28
Social Acceptance ......................................................................................................................................................... 29
Social Fault Lines ........................................................................................................................................................... 33
Climate Catastrophe: Global Warming and its Impact ..................................................................................... 35
E2: Emerging Challenges ................................................................................................................................................. 37
Bereft of Opportunities: The Employment Challeng ......................................................................................... 38
The Literacy-Labour Dichotomy .............................................................................................................................. 40
Dissatisfaction and Stigmatization .......................................................................................................................... 42
Obsolete Academics: Education and its Discontents ...................................................................................... 43
A Broken Education System ...................................................................................................................................... 44
Teaching Quality ............................................................................................................................................................ 45
E3: Effects ............................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Learning to Earn: Digital Enhancement and Skill Development ................................................................... 47
A New World of Opportunities: E-Professionalism, E-Commerce and Youth ............................................48
Entrepreneurship .......................................................................................................................................................... 49
Online Employment ...................................................................................................................................................... 51
Women and E-Commerce .......................................................................................................................................... 53
Discourse and Discord: Expression, Engagement and Polarization ........................................................... 54
Social Media and Information ................................................................................................................................... 55
Political and Civic Engagement ................................................................................................................................ 57
E4: Enablers ........................................................................................................................................................................... 60
The Case for Change: Political Engagement and Policymaking for Young People ............................... 61
Innovation and Adaptation: Education Engagement for Youth Needs ...................................................... 62
Recommendations ......................................................................................................................................................... 64
Foreword
Pakistan is currently the sixth most populous embraced digital opportunities as a route for
country globally, with two-thirds of the population self-empowerment is a striking development in this
below the age of 30, making it among the world’s latest report.
youngest nations. As Pakistan engages in digital transformation and
Eight countries, of which Pakistan is one, will prioritises inclusion for all in the digital economy, it
account for more than half the rise in global is critical to note there remain gaps between those
population by 2050. At present, Pakistan’s with the access, skills and knowledge to capitalise
population represents the 10th largest labour force on the opportunities of digital citizenship, and those
in the world. Yet, unemployment rates are high, without; notably historically marginalized groups
access to quality education and skills development such as women, persons with disabilities, minorities
is limited, socio-economic inequality restricts and the rural populations. Meanwhile, many
access to opportunities and resources, and political technologically literate young people, whilst aware
instability is fueling economic and social insecurity. of the power of digital, are concerned about the
However, where there are challenges, there are spread of disinformation and its polarizing effects.
immense opportunities too. Over the last decade, The consensus shared by young men and women
since the previous Next Generation report was throughout the report is broadly similar. For
published, the government and other stakeholders instance, climate change is of greater concern than
have made various efforts to support young people ever, however, concerns around quality education,
by launching initiatives geared towards improving bridging the skills gap, and lack of decent
access to education, supporting skills development, employment opportunities takes precedence.
encouraging entrepreneurship and initiating youth Furthermore, whilst young people are not
engagement programmes. The desire to support disinterested in politics, there is clearly a need for
young people is evident, yet the results make clear more concerted efforts to meaningfully engage
that much more needs to be done to help the next them in the political and civic space.
generation unlock their full potential and create an This research has given us the opportunity to stop,
equitable and prosperous society in which they can think, re-evaluate, and most importantly, listen to
thrive. and work with young people directly to explore how
This research – a part of the British Council’s global we can create a more sustainable and successful
initiative, the Next Generation Series – investigates future for young Pakistanis.
factors that will enable young people to become We would like to express our deep gratitude to the
engaged, fulfilled, and active citizens in their young people who took part in this study. Their
countries. It seeks to gain a deeper understanding voices are critical to shaping the future and the
of their aspirations, needs and readiness in the hope deep insight they have provided is invaluable.
of bringing together Pakistan’s brightest minds to We believe that Next Generation Pakistan has the
identify ways of tapping into the energy and talent power to bring the right people together to
of Pakistani youth. generate a constructive discourse on the
This research was initiated during a difficult period aspirations, opportunities and challenges facing
for Pakistan. As the country was dealing with the young people today, as well as exploring ways to
consequences of Covid-19, the already challenging fully unleash their as yet untapped potential. The
situation was made worse by the devastating floods findings present not only key challenges faced by
of 2022. Despite a minimal contribution to global young people in present times, but also point toward
emissions – Pakistan’s total CO2 emissions account measures and critical actions required by all
for approximately 1.5% of total emissions – the stakeholders - including government, civil society,
country found itself at the center of the climate media, academia, and society at large - to overcome
crisis as well as leading the climate justice them.
conversation. Moreover, ongoing political instability Supporting young people in gaining the right
and escalating economic uncertainty has had an education and skills, confidence and connections,
impact on the findings. Yet still, the findings were will allow them to participate in and create strong
surprising. and inclusive communities. The benefits of which
Even though Pakistan’s economy has remained in a are unlimited.
state of flux for decades, with frequent
macroeconomic crises, Pakistani youth are
optimistic about their future in the country. Most
young people want to remain in Pakistan as Amir Ramzan
opposed to moving abroad. This optimism is in part Country Director British Council
due to the digital revolution and its potential to
improve the lives of young people through direct
access to e-commerce platforms that are Task Force
increasingly providing new opportunities for Pakistan – The Next Generation Research
economic empowerment. The speed and
enthusiasm with which young people have
Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 2
Acknowledgements
The British Council would like to thank our research research report
partner Ipsos Pakistan for their efforts in organising
fieldwork, recruiting participants, supporting British Council Team
analysis, reviewing early drafts and imparting local o Maryam Rab – Head of Research Programmes,
knowledge. The field team of Ipsos deserves a Research and Policy Insight team
special mention as despite floods in Pakistan, they o Sadia Rahman – Regional Head of Non-formal
continued gathering data across Pakistan and Education Programmes, South Asia
completed the research timely. o Wajiha Irfan – Head of Non-formal Education
We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to Programmes, Pakistan
Prof. Dr. Asghar Zaidi, Vice Chancellor of o Izzah Meyer – Global Research Programmes
Government College University (GCU) Lahore for Adviser
helping us reach students from public universities o Talha Chishti – Senior Manager, Non-Formal
across Pakistan gathered at GCU for Annual Student Education Programme, Pakistan
Societies’ Summit 2022, and seek their opinion o Iftikhar Ahmed – Programme Manager,
through online polling as well as providing us access Non-Formal Education Programme, Pakistan
to a bright and hard-working group of young o Rhea Bhandari – Project Coordinator and
students who participated in a workshop that Executive Assistant, Research and Insight (UK)
helped generate solutions to youth problems.
Disclaimer
Youth Task Force The views expressed in this report are those of the
o Prof. Dr. Asghar Zaidi- Vice Chancellor, GCU authors and contributors and do not necessarily
Lahore reflect the views of the British Council. Any errors
o Kanwal Ahmed, Founder, Soul Sisters and omissions remain our own.
Pakistan/Conversations with Kanwal
o Kanwal Khoosat, Film maker, Executive Director
Olompolo Media
o Sana Mir, Cricketer
o Dr Shabnum Sarfaraz, Member - Social, Planning
Commission of Pakistan
o Shahid Rehmat, Exec. Director, Youth
Development Foundation
o Sikandar Bizenjo, External Relations Manager
Engro
o Talha Ahmed – The Centrum Media
Research Team Ipsos

o Abdul Sattar Babar – Project Lead
o Abdullah Khalid – Project Manager
o Zehra Hussain – Senior Principal Researcher
o Usman Zafar – Strategic Communications and
Research Expert, author of Next Generation

Executive Summary
The Next Generation Pakistan is a significant their agency to try and rise above societal and
national research study which comprehensively institutional limitations to grow personally and
examines the perceptions of the country’s young professionally. Emboldened by the emergence of
population between the ages of 16 and 34 with new technologies, they are taking their destiny into
specific focus on their views, values, beliefs, and their own hands, creating new economic
actions. It assesses in detail the challenges which opportunities, emancipating themselves politically
Pakistan’s youth face today, how it impacts their and socially, and transforming their potential into
choices and decisions, and the efforts they are tangible change.
undertaking to transform and better their lives. The This process is a delicate one, for change can go
project aims to ignite a critical conversation on what both ways. The study shows that key stakeholders,
are the needs of the country’s young citizens, and particularly on the political and economic front,
how the country’s institutions could transform and have a critical role to play in this evolution. If
adapt in order to realise their potential. encouraged, facilitated and supported, young
The project was an extensive effort in mix methods Pakistanis can be empowered to positively alter the
research, utilising a combination of evaluating trajectory of the nation towards economic and
existing research, interviews and consultations with social betterment. If they are discouraged or left on
prominent practitioners and experts, and a their own, they can take the country towards
nationwide field research comprising focus groups regressive social conflict and political polarization.
and surveys with youth from all regions and strata of
society. A special Youth Task Force comprised of These perceptions have been recorded at a time
senior and young thought leaders with expertise in when Pakistan faces a myriad of crises. The country
areas relevant to youth engagement, provided is experiencing a major economic downturn, as well
much needed context and insight to support the as major political instability while the next general
research. Our approach was to provide young elections are just around the corner, and an
Pakistanis with the opportunity to openly and unprecedented environmental catastrophe that has
honestly express their concerns, fears, hopes and depleted its resources and opportunities. How the
dreams. Nearly four thousand youngsters from all nation deals with these developments is crucial, and
walks of life participated, allowing for a holistic and young people are at the centre of this storm, as they
accurate picture of the country’s diverse and largest are its biggest affectees and change makers. This is
demographic cohort. a crossroads moment for Pakistan, now more than
The results of the study have been enlightening. The ever. How we tackle this crucial juncture, will
young people of this country have always been determine the future of this country.
lauded for its talent and potential, yet its leaders and
communities have repeatedly misunderstood,
limited and excluded them, refuting their abilities to
transform themselves and Pakistan in the process.
The study reflects several areas where young
Pakistanis feel demotivated, apathetic or
pessimistic. However, the research also brings
forward a mindset where young people are
attempting new ways of taking charge and are using

Key Findings
Mindset Climate Change
• Young Pakistanis are divided on their identity, • 70% of young Pakistanis are concerned with the
with almost equal percentage consider their environmental impact of climate change
religious and national identity as paramount • 56% of respondents linked the 2022 floods to
• They are optimistic about their future lives and climate change, while 68% said they have an
careers, and wish to stay in Pakistan as understanding of the science behind it
opposed to moving abroad • 80% of participants considered climate change
• They are politically very passive and apathetic, as a key voting issue at the national level
with little to no trust in the political system.
Emerging Challenges
Environment Employment
Generation Gap • Financial security and career success are among
• Evidence shows young people differing from the highest priorities for young people
the views and values of their parents in several • Unemployment and economic growth are the
areas, including social change, lifestyle and highest areas of concern
education • Female youth are seven times more likely to
• Majority of youth people feel they are unable to remain unemployed than male youth, and twelve
decide their future times less likely to be employed
• Most respondents believe their lives are worse off • Seven in ten respondents said their family’s finan
than their parents cial situation determined their career choices
• Educated and internet using participants are far
Social Marginalisation more optimistic about their careers
• Two in three young Pakistanis complain of • Transgender respondents complained of sexual
discrimination in Pakistan on the basis of ethnici harassment and mistreatment in the workplace
ty, religious beliefs and political beliefs
• Educated and internet using respondents were Education
more likely to report discrimination • Young people acknowledge the failure of educa
• Three in five youth participants state society tion system to provide them with skills needed for
treats people differently on the basis of gender modern employment; lack of innovation seen as a
• Over 60% of young people believe the transgen critical issue
der community is discriminated against • Teaching quality emerges as the no.1 concern in
• Over 60% of young people believe that persons the education system
with disability faces discrimination • Curriculum development harshly criticized as a
major issue, with more focus on theory than prac
Economy tical application.
• Economic growth is seen as the top concern for • Widening industry-university gap, particularly in
young people, as economic crisis is directly linked technology, leaves young people feeling unpre
to employment decline, a key priority of theirs pared for the job market
• Almost nine in ten young Pakistanis see economy
as a key voting issue at the national level

Effects Enabling Factors
Digital Enhancement Political Engagement and Policymaking
• Young people are increasingly preferring • The majority of respondents feel their voices are
digital/technological skills and problem-solving not being heard by the country’s leadership
skills over traditional skills like math and literacy • Participants showed low direct participation in
• Seven in ten respondents are in favour of non-tra the political process, with only 10% stating they
ditional technical and skill-based education over voted in the last twelve months
formal education systems • Political participation, engagement and active say
• Seven in ten respondents see online learning as in policymaking is a key demand of young Pakistanis
critical for young people to boost skills they can
utilise for their professional work Education Engagement
• Only one in four respondents stated receiving any
E-Professionalism kind of career guidance from their educators
• Majority of young people are interested in start • Young Pakistanis are demanding that education
ing their own business within the next 5 years institutes adapt and innovate to the needs of the
• Over half of the respondents see online freelanc 21st century student and young professional
ing as a viable option and understand digital • Nine in ten young people believe that education
e-commerce platforms helps drive change in society, and 8 in 10 state
• Young women are being seen as the major benefi that good education is integral for facing future
ciaries of e-commerce by helping to bypass challenges
restrictions preventing them from traditional
employment
Civic Engagement and Activism

• Three in five Pakistani youth use the internet, and
practically all internet users are on social media
• Nearly half of all young people regularly post on
political issues on social media, and over half
have regular discussions with their friends on
political issues, with internet users more active
• Three in five respondents believe online civic and
political activism will change Pakistan
• Majority of Pakistani youth see themselves as
playing an active role in mitigating climate change
Social and Political Polarisation

• Internet users are increasingly politically and
socially intolerant, and claim to have seen
material targeting their communities and
ideologies on social media

Background
Next Generation is a global British Council research formal to informal systems of engagement, using
series focusing on young people. We believe it is activism and issues based campaigning to make
important to listen to and engage with young their voices heard.
people, as they will become the next generation of The Next Generation Pakistan series has echoed
influencers, leaders and shapers of their countries. many of these same sentiments, albeit in a context
Yet, we recognise that they are not just the future – specific to the country’s own issues.
they are the present, and they have the capacity to
create, contribute and make a difference today. Next Generation Research – Pakistan
Next Generation Research – a Global Initiative First published in 2009 in Pakistan by the British
Council, the Next Generation report sparked a
The Next Generation research series examines the much-needed debate on how Pakistan can
conditions that support young people in becoming transform itself to harness the potential of its young
creative, fulfilled and active citizens in their people.
countries. Since 2009, when the first Next The study made some critical insights, with half of
Generation report was published in Pakistan, the the respondents claiming they don’t have the skills
British Council has conducted a number of seminal for the modern labor market, while only 5% claimed
studies comprising all regions of the world. to receive any higher education, a major indictment
Countries as diverse as Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Sri of the country’s learning systems. There was also a
Lanka, Ireland, Kenya, South Africa, the UK, and noted disillusionment with democracy with only 10%
Turkey, have been analysed in depth to examine the having confidence in the government, and less than
challenges and aspirations of youth. The most 40% voting in the 2008 elections (with another 50%
recent phase of this initiative (2021-22), assessed not even on the voter list). Overall, the report urged
perspectives from Germany, Poland, Italy, Lebanon, leaders to take young people and their issues
Nigeria, Ethiopia, Myanmar and Vietnam, reaching seriously, establish a new social contract with them
out to over seventeen thousand young citizens and make them active citizens and leaders for the
between the ages of 15 and 35 via survey polls, and country’s future. Two more reports were published
conducting hundreds of direct engagements via in 2013 (Next Generation goes to Ballot Box) and in
focus group discussions, in depth interviews, online 2014 (Untold Stories, Insecure Lives) taking a
diaries and youth workshops. deepened look at youth political participation and
The reports have shed light on critical aspects impact of conflict and violence respectively.
relevant to the youth population. The 2022 wave Since then, Pakistan has gone through waves of
showed how young people are hungry to engage, evolution, with a rarely seen continuity in the
with a strong desire on their part to work with democratic process, as well as major regional and
policymakers to develop solutions to better their global upheavals, the emergence of the digital
lives. Despite this, young people felt revolution, a once-in-a-century health crisis, and the
underappreciated and disempowered, believing rise of a new political order. This has inevitably
that their views and contributions did not receive shaped Pakistani society, and particularly its
the attention to the same extent as older youngest inhabitants, who have now become the
generations, creating restrictions in their ability to largest group in the country. As of 2022, Pakistan is
affect change. Resultantly, they have shifted from currently the sixth most populous country globally,
with two-thirds of the population below the age of

30, making it among the world’s youngest nations .
This ‘youth bulge’ is now the driving force of this
220+ million strong people. In order to understand
the trajectory of this country, it is key to identify
major views, beliefs and practices of young
Pakistanis. We firmly believe that the time is right for
a new iteration of the Next Generation research,
which can build on learning from previous studies,
while also gathering new insights to help recognize
and understand the shifts in how young people in
Pakistan view themselves, their environments and
the world. This in turn is integral to determining the
next major trends and preferences for youth devel-
opment programming for all key stakeholders,
including the British Council.
The research parameters of this report seek to
understand the local and global challenges and
barriers that Pakistani youth face in their day-to-day
lives and in achieving their full potential. It also
examines the aspirations, potential and the
solutions that they develop to overcome and
contribute to the wider development objectives of
Pakistan.
Despite a thirteen year gap, the 2023 report reflects
many of the same challenges and frustrations for
young Pakistanis as reported in 2009. Economic
problems, particularly around employment, remain a
key concern, as does lack of political participation
and an education system that does not meet the
needs of youth. However, new areas of challenges
and opportunities have emerged, including climate
change and the rise of social media, which are now
shaping youth engagement and priorities in a new
direction. The report will attempt to chronicle these
insights in this document.

Introduction
2022 has been the latest in a series of tumultuous perceiving them, and how it was being impacted.
years for Pakistan. The last decade saw the The findings are immensely important. Young
explosion of violent extremism, which claimed the Pakistanis have been adversely affected, not just by
lives of tens of thousands. While militancy was the circumstances outlined above, but also a failing
driven away, it came at the cost of terrible economic education system, a deteriorating employment
and ecological destruction, which destroyed the environment, social and political polarisation and a
livelihoods and homes of millions, putting pressure widening generation gap. Despite this, the youth of
on a society already rife with poverty, illiteracy and Pakistan remain optimistic, fuelled by the promise of
conflict. The political system, struggling to maintain new media and 21st century communications, their
democratic continuity after years of military rule, response to the chaos enveloping them has been to
have seen multiple governments completing their take matters into their own hands, using the internet
tenure, remained on a perpetual knife-edge, to define their actions and their future. They are
ravaged by multiple crises ranging from political creating their own opportunities, amplifying their
instability, corruption cases and scandals to own voices, and becoming a force for change in
institutional friction and systemic upheaval. Climate Pakistan.
change has ridden waste to some of the most fertile The findings demonstrate how young Pakistanis are
areas of the country, as extreme weather changes developing new approaches to emancipate
have sparked heat waves and glacial melting, themselves, learning new skills, economically
culminating in a natural disaster so devastating and empowering themselves, and becoming a force for
unprecedented in this year’s floods, that it forced positive change through civic engagement and
the world to take notice of the dangers of global climate action. The story of Pakistan’s Next
warming. Social and political divisions have taken on Generation is the story of a generation yearning for
new dimensions with the ascent of social media. change and is now finding the means to transform
Religious extremism has become extremely its own fortunes, as well as the future of this nation,
politicised, with violence in the name of faith amidst tremendous structural challenges that
targeting marginalised communities and political threaten to hinder this process.
leaders alike. Finally, a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic
upended social order like never before, with its Report Structure
effects being felt even now in education, The report is structured into three parts. The first
employment and business. 2022 has continued this part will explain our overall methodology, whereby
unfortunate trend, with a slew of new challenges, we conducted a comprehensive research exercise
including political chaos, economic downturn, comprising 7 in depth interviews with thought
ecological disasters and a resurgent wave of leaders and change makers, 18 focus group
militancy. discussions with youth nationwide, and a detailed
This has been an incredibly challenging time for survey conducted on 3,446 respondents. A Youth
young Pakistanis, and it is in this landscape that the Task Force of prominent experts and practitioners
Next Generation study was conducted. It was from a diverse variety of fields was constituted to
necessary to see how the youth of Pakistan was help analyse the findings and distil key insights.
responding to these developments, how it was
‘Youth Bulge in Pakistan: Bane or Boon?’ PIDE. 2022. https://pide.org.pk/research/youth-bulge-in-pakistan-bane-or-boon/

The second part of the report outlines four key
sections which categorise the findings based on our
analytical framework, the 4E Model:
• E1: Environmental Factors
• E2: Emerging Challenges
• E3: Effects
• E4: Enabling Factors
These sections will showcase the most important

findings related to youth perceptions and attitudes
on a number of critical areas identified from our
research, including perceptions of families, living
standards, employment, education, climate change,
socio-political discrimination and biases, the role of
the internet and civic engagement.
The final part of the report lists the main
recommendations of the report on institutional,
policy and programmatic responses, highlighting
key suggestions which relevant stakeholders need
to understand and implement based on the
responses documented in the study.

Research Design &
Methodology
After reviewing the pilot study design and available potential and aspirations of young people in the
materials, we envisioned to adopt a mixed-methods target country.
research approach; namely, desk review, qualitative • Stakeholder engagement activity built within and
(i.e., KIIs, FGDs, consultative workshops) and around the research, throughout the stages of
quantitative (i.e., survey), to address the research research design, data collection, analysis and
objectives of this youth-led Next Generation study. after the launch of the final report
The methodology was designed around the core • Influence policy, British Council youth
objectives laid out for the report: engagement programming in Pakistan
• Research that gathers data to explore the needs,
Research Design
Finalization of themes Comprehensive
via Key Informant battery of
Desk Research
Interviews and Statements
Ideation Groups via Focus Groups
Key Informant
Quantitative Interviews Stakeholders’
Survey (validation of Quant Workshop
Questionnaire)
Workshop for
Workshop Advocacy &
Final Reporting
with Youth Dissemination
Desk Research and Emerging Themes areas of focus for British Council.
A thorough literature review was conducted to The desk review benefited from a rich body of
assess the key challenges of young Pakistanis and literature on youth engagement, as well as insights
establish the key patterns on which to carry out the from the previous Next Generation studies, which
research. Multiple research articles, policy papers, were used to identify the main areas of inquiry.
government reports, and regional/global indexes The literature review identified ten key challenges,
were studied in depth keeping in mind the main which were used as the basis for the next phases of
research:

Key Informant interviews and Ideation all communities, the discussions were held in all
Groups provinces and regions of Pakistan, as well as both
To adjust and improve the research tools for the rural and urban areas. The research team took care
next phases of the research design, IPSOS to have respondents from marginalised
conducted Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with 7 communities, transgender people and Persons with
thought leaders from a variety of fields, including Disabilities (PWDs) for a more complete perspective.
human rights, technology and entrepreneurship, Students, professionals, and stay-at-home youth
youth politics, and academia. Several insights were were all targeted, even taking into account
gathered from these interviews, which then fed to professions from different industries and sectors (i.e
the Ideation Group stage. transportation, IT and administration, agriculture,
Four ideation groups were held with young people health care, etc.) to ensure a diverse array of
between the ages of 16 to 34 from all over Pakistan, opinions.
comprising males and females from both rural and The topics of inquiry in the Discussion Guides (DGs)
urban areas. These served as brainstorming focused on aspects gathered from the previous
sessions to discuss the areas identified in the KIIs stages. The responses in the discussions very
and the desk review and develop the discussion invaluable in informing the research team on the
guides for the qualitative stage of the project. priorities, concerns, and aspirations of young
Qualitative Research people, helping us to devise an analytical framework
18 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) comprising that could be used to develop linkages between
6-8 participants per group were conducted in these various factors. They also helped the team
multiple cities of Pakistan, with separate groups of develop a battery of statements that would serve as
males and females from all socio-economic groups. the basis for the quantitative questionnaire.
Two key age groups, 16-24 and 24-34, were
engaged for the FGDs. To ensure representation of

Quantitative Survey the project team included participation from
As with the qualitative exercise, the survey marginalized communities as well, establishing a
questionnaire process was comprehensive. 3,446 quota of respondents for religious minorities,
respondents between the ages of 16 and 34 transgender people and PWDs, as well as the
residing in cities and villages found in the urban and underrepresented regions of Azad Jammu and
rural areas of all provinces and cities were engaged. Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. The research team took
A 50:50 male female ratio was utilised to capture an multiple steps prior to the nationwide dissemination
accurate picture on gender lines. To ensure the data of the research to ensure ease in language and
would not be biased or skewed, a Multistage comprehension of the survey via pre-testing prior to
Stratified Random Sampling technique was utilised. launch.
Following the same practice as the focus groups,
Data Collection inferences of the study for youth engagement in the

For optimal collation and efficiency, the study used country.
the Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) Additionally, a special research and advocacy
method. The sample was collected in the months of workshop with students was held at Government
September and October 2022, following which it College University in Lahore in December 2022 to
went through multiple stages of data cleaning, validate the findings of the study with students and
quality assurance and tabulation. gauge their opinions on it.
The data was then analysed by dedicated research Reporting
teams to ascertain key trends and patterns, which All the views and assessments from the task force,
have formed the basis of this report. as well as the IPSOS research team and the British
Council, were gathered and examined through a
Youth Task Force and Workshops multifaceted analytical framework that sought to
The findings of the research, once collated, were create linkages between the findings and
then put to a specially constituted Youth Task Force understand their wider implications for the state of
(YTF), which included practitioners and experts from youth in the country. The collective analysis forms
Pakistan renowned in their fields, ranging from the basis of this study.
social media to academia, public and private sector, Following the development of this report, the
arts and culture, and policy. Two meetings of the findings most relevant for the public will be shared
task force were held in 2022 to provide key input on for dissemination, in order to aid public policy on
the findings and analyse them considering the youth and programmatic learnings for youth
larger developments in Pakistan, as well as the engagement.

Analytical Framework
for Research
A key feature of the Next Generation study is not just from one end to another, influencing each other and
to collect the findings on the perceptions of young shaping the trajectory of young people.
people, but to help explain the linkages between • E1: Environment
them, and provide a comprehensive understanding The key external factors prevalent in Pakistan which
of how these factors influence each other. have great impact on young citizens in terms of their
Our analysis reveals a process that young Pakistanis present and future challenges
are going through, which explains their internal • E2: Emerging Challenges
pressures and external burdens, affects their The areas which are key pressure points for
priorities, determines their responses, and young people, and hence critical to address in
highlights the key bodies and institutions that have a the coming years
role to play in shaping the direction of this process. • E3: Effects
From our research, this trajectory passes through The manifestations from the environment and
four key phases. We call this process the 4E challenges which show the negative and positive
framework. The process first outlines the key impact and prospects for young Pakistanis
internal and external pressures which affect young
Pakistanis, or environment. This in turn has a major • E4: Enablers
effect on their key priorities, or emerging The institutions which have a crucial role to play
challenges. Due to these pressures, young in the success or the failure of our next
Pakistanis are manifesting change through their own generation, and how they should intervene
agency, or effects. Finally, young people cannot do The 4E Model, illustrated in the diagram below,
this on their own, but are reliant upon key avenues serves as the roadmap for this study.
which will determine whether they succeed or fail,
which are the enablers. Each of these factors flow

De ning their Identity, What does
the Next Generation Think about Itself?
The youth of Pakistan is going through a phase of separate homeland. However, religious identity
rapid change. Their trajectory appears fluid and extends beyond sovereign boundaries, and with
shifting, as they respond to the societal Muslims it is even more strongly so through the
transformation around them. This section explores concept of Ummah, the global Islamic community.
fundamental insights into what young people think However, a national outlook remains within the
about themselves, how they prefer to be perceived, boundaries of Pakistan, and hence the preference of
what drives their optimism, and where they feel youth towards the latter is important, as it indicates
neglected. their focus is becoming more internal than external,
Split Identity at least on the issue of identity.
Identity is a key part of self-perception. Belonging to Further breakdown of the data reveals some rich
a multi-cultural heterogenous society, Pakistan’s insights. Respondents prioritising religious identity
communities are composed of a multitude of are more likely to belong from a private educated
ethnicities, religions, cultures and familial systems. background, suggesting higher levels of affluence.
We felt it was important to ascertain the principal They are also more likely to be internet users, as well
identity of young Pakistanis, one they felt as educated from matric to postgraduate studies.
represented them the best. Students are more representative of this population,
Our findings showed that the Next Generation as well as male respondents. Finally, on the
identifies itself on two central pillars: nationality (i.e. geographic end, this identification was more
Pakistan) and religious affiliation (i.e. pronounced in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu
Muslim/Christian/Hindu, etc.) and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.
On the other hand, those prioritising national
What do you prefer as your main identity? identity are likely to be less privileged, with little to
Base 3446 no educational background. Most of them are
non-internet users and are either self-employed or
unemployed. Geographically, the larger provinces of
Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan are represented
higher in this group.
47 The findings indicated a major shift in identity
44 towards an increasingly nationalist outlook. To
illustrate this, we did a comparison of the identity
question results from the previous Next Generation
studies in 2009 and 2013. The results show a drastic
reduction in identity on religious lines, and a rise in
national identity to a point where it is almost at
parity with the former.
Religious (e.g. Muslim. Paskitan

Christian, etc.)
.
The separation of religion from nationalism is a

difficult one to unravel for Pakistan. The nation’s
religious identity is intertwined with its nationalist
one, as its foundation has been justified on the
principle of the two nation theory: i.e. that the
religious affiliation of Muslims necessitated a

Multiple reasons can be attributed to this. and safety.
Communities have become increasingly connected However, the Next Generation, despite these
through the telecommunication revolution, with uncertainties, prefers to stay in Pakistan instead of
national identity being seen as the fundamental moving abroad.
differential amidst an increasingly global
community. Political participation, at least at an Are you willing to move to another country?
optical level, has taken center stage nationwide,
with the emergence of newer nativist political Base:All respondents 3446
forces, espousing a strong national identity as their
foundation. Another group of reasons concern the Yes,I would 32%
hotbed of controversies and violence fomented by
religious identity-based politics and terrorism. The No,I would not 68%
mitigation of these conflicts has relied relatively less
on religious narratives and more on emphasizing the As in the case of identity, variations exist between
supremacy of the state, which has meant gravitation those who want to move abroad, and those who
towards a more nationalist identity. Another want to stay. Young people preferring the former are
possibility can be disillusion with religious identity more likely to be male, privately educated, with
being used for violence and extremism particularly access to and utilization of the internet. They are
in the last decade, which has led youth to redefine also more educated, with many receiving graduate
themselves through loyalty to the state. and postgraduate education. Regionally,
respondents from Khyber Pakthunkhwa, Gilgit
How Youth Identify Themselves: Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir were more
Comparison of Next Gen Studies likely to prefer moving abroad.
On the other hand, young citizens that wished to
remain in Pakistan were more likely to be female,
married, self employed and not internet users.
Geographically, respondents from Punjab and Sindh
were more in favour of staying in Pakistan.
The composition of participants thinking of moving
abroad challenges our traditional notions of
immigration to other countries. Previously, the vast
Religious identity National identity influx of Pakistanis moving overseas (mainly in gulf
2009 2013 2022 countries) has been largely restricted to blue collar
or labour employment, due to favourable purchase
parity through earning foreign currency. However,
Preference for Pakistan our data shows that young Pakistanis may show
Pakistan’s brain drain has always been a major more preference for white collar and professional
concern for the country’s fledgling growth. environments as can be seen from their education
According to statistics available with the Bureau of levels and lifestyle choices.
Emigration and Overseas Employment , over three It’s clear that young Pakistanis want to move abroad
quarters of a million people left Pakistan for abroad not just to earn better, but to do better. The lure of
in 2022, nearly triple the departures in 2021. The being abroad perhaps isn’t as enticing for a majority
deteriorating economic and political situation has of youth. They are being selective about why they
much to contribute to the uncertainty that drives should, and it appears they will do so if they feel it is
people to leave their homeland for financial security right for them.
BEOE Statistics 2022. https://beoe.gov.pk/reports-and-statistics

An Optimistic Future increasingly preferring to identify themselves as
Despite the challenges facing Pakistan and young Pakistani rather than solely religious school of
people across the country, the Next Generation thought.
remains quite optimistic about its future, as well as Frustration with the Present
their future in it. Nearly seven in ten respondents In spite of the optimism of young Pakistanis, there is
expressed positivity about the country’s outlook in a feeling that they are not being allowed to
the years to come. determine their course of direction. Respondents
Despite the challenges facing Pakistan and young feel disempowered about the ability to make
people across the country, the Next Generation changes to better themselves. Many feel frustrated
remains quite optimistic about its future, as well as that they are unable to decide on their future
their future in it. Nearly seven in ten respondents direction.
expressed positivity about the country’s outlook in
To what degree would you say that you are able to
the years to come. decide what your future is going to be like?
What is your outlook of the future? Base:All respondents 3446
My country
T2B (unable to decide) 39
T2B (Optimistic) 69
B2B (able to decide) 43___
B2B (Pessimistic) 15
At first this does appear to contradict the findings
Young Pakistanis are also optimistic about their from the results in the previous section. After all,
professional futures in Pakistan, seeing a bright how can young Pakistanis be hopeful about their
career trajectory for themselves. future, while also being frustrated about not able to
Q26. What is your outlook of the decide on their future direction?
future? The later section on generational gap explains a
Base:All respondents 3446 struggle between youth and their parents,
specifically on lack of agency in career choices,
My future career lifestyle and overall outlook, helping to explain this
T2B (Optimistic) 71 pessimism. However, they may see this not as a
B2B (Pessimistic) 16 permanent situation, and hope that they will soon be
given the reins to achieve according to their
Young Pakistanis also see a bright future for their aspirations, creating a more optimistic perspective
quality of life, showing they remain upbeat about the about the years to come.
prospects of a better life in the years to come.
Q26. What is your outlook of the future? Personal Success and Happiness
Young Pakistanis see their personal success as their
My quality of life
highest priority. For them, their personal and
T2B (Optimistic) 73
financial well being, as well as their independence, is
B2B (Pessimistic) 15
of the utmost importance to them. While traditional
It can be seen that young Pakistanis remain hopeful priorities, such as having a family give them the
about the future trajectory of this country, and also highest levels of personal success, the data also
see a better life for themselves. This is a key shows priorities shifting towards more individualistic
indicator that doesn’t just show their resilience, but goals. This includes financial security, careers of
also their faith in their nation. This perhaps also their choice, living independently and having a
helps us understand why youngsters are lifestyle of their choosing.

At first this does appear to contradict the findings advocacy, encouraging inclusivity and fostering
from the results in the previous section. After all, innovation. Education remains one of their top
how can young Pakistanis be hopeful about their priorities, which will be explored in detail in the
future, while also being frustrated about not able to analysis section later.
decide on their future direction?
The later section on generational gap explains a What do you think is the most powerful
tool that can be used to deal with global
struggle between youth and their parents,
challenge(s)?
specifically on lack of agency in career choices,
lifestyle and overall outlook, helping to explain this
Base:All respondents 3446
pessimism. However, they may see this not as a
permanent situation, and hope that they will soon be Education 75%
given the reins to achieve according to their Research and innovation 26%
Encouraging diversity and shared ethical
aspirations, creating a more optimistic perspective
values 36%
about the years to come.
Campaigning/Activism/Advocacy 33%
Fostering creativity and innovation 31%
Personal Success and Happiness
Young Pakistanis see their personal success as their Fostering cultural engagement 15%
highest priority. For them, their personal and Politically Passive and Excluded
financial well being, as well as their independence, is Despite wanting to be a force for change, and being
of the utmost importance to them. While traditional politically more involved in recent years, thanks to
priorities, such as having a family give them the increasing presence on social media, young people
highest levels of personal success, the data also are not translating their political activism into
shows priorities shifting towards more individualistic political action. Less than half of the respondents
goals. This includes financial security, careers of intend to vote in the country’s next local or general
their choice, living independently and having a elections, fueled by deep levels of distrust in a
lifestyle of their choosing. political system that doesn’t engage them or
When thinking about personal success represents their interests and concerns.
and happiness (both now and in the
future), which of the below do you think Q46.Do you intend to vote in your
country’s next local or general/national
contribute?
election?
Base:All respondents 3446 Base:All respondents 3088

Living with family / Having a family 43% Yes 48%
Having financial security 40% No 31%
Having a circle of close friends 20%
Living independently 38% What level of trust do you have in your
Having a career of my choice 36% political system?
Freedom of choice in my lifestyle 23%
Base: All respondents 3446
Agents of Change
Young Pakistanis are strongly inclined towards
I have no trust in the political system 28%
self-betterment and progress. For them, the answer I do not have much trust in the political
to tackling the challenges of the world lies in system 29%
empowering themselves through education and I have some trust in the political system 26%
I have trust in the political system 14%
I have a lot of trust in the political system 4%

As we will see in the later sections, there is a distinct
gap between the formal participation of youth in
political engagement, and their informal
participation. In the case of the latter, young
Pakistanis are increasingly making their voices
heard, especially as they now have social media to
amplify their concerns and priorities. Political
parties have capitalised on this sentiment to engage
them for their own digital presence and outreach.
However, this is not effectively translating into direct
participation, hinting at potential barriers, such as
lack of trust in their representatives.

E1: Environment
The opinions, behaviours and direction of youth extrinsically impact the lives of young Pakistanis,
cannot be separated from the conditions and namely:
communities that they live in. They determine their • Family and Generation Gap
social values, their financial standing, their access to • Social Marginalisation
opportunities and their ability to co-exist among • Economic Decline
others. • Social and Political Polarisation
Through the course of our research, we identified • Climate Change
the key environmental factors that intrinsically and
This section explores their importance, as well as regulation, obedience, academic performance,
the findings of our research specific to these fators. social competence, and resilience . Family influence
is also seen to positively correlate with career
Gneration Next Vs. Now: The role of
decision self-efficacy and happiness, contributing to
families and intergenerational gap
their professional development and satisfaction .
Furthermore, the economic status of families is
Key Takeaways
crucial to providing children with access to
• Evidence shows young people differing from the
opportunities and mobilization, which are key to
views and values of their parents in several areas,
their advancement in various personal and
including social change, lifestyle and education
professional spheres.
• Majority of youth people feel they are unable to
While a similar correlation exists in Pakistan as well,
decide their future
the research has highlighted tensions and sources
• Most respondents believe their lives are worse
of division between parents and their adult children,
off than their parents
a signal of a generational gap on key family and
societal issues, which in turn could be negatively
When it comes to personal development, the role of
impacting Pakistani youngsters and their ability to
family cannot be understated. Good parenting is
reach their potential.
found to be associated with better emotional

The qualitative research indicated tensions between unable to speak with people or fight for my rights.
young people and families. A key area is gender.
One expert interviewed in the KIIs commented that Another issue that young people in the FGDS see
the confidence women have in being able to face significant generational gap is mental health. Youth
social challenges (fight against harassment, strive feel that mental health is simply an issue not being
for employment) is based on family support, a understood by their parents and with the views from
theme which was corroborated by the FGDs, and the key informants aligning with this. The stigmatization
inability to adequately support them leaves them of mental health and the difficulty to talk openly with
unable to deal with adversity in the long run. The parents left many young people feeling they do not
statements from some of the working women have any avenue to express themselves. In fact, in
reflected an attitude in the house that having a some cases, family comments were themselves
career is a choice or privilege, while their real seen as the greatest source of mental stress.
priority should be at home. Female Respondent, 16-24, Karachi Urban
Female Respondent, 16-24, Karachi Rural Environment impacts us as family plays a role,
There's family pressure to do household chores as sometimes family pressure takes away the focus…
job is your choice but ghar ka kaam (house work) is the behaviour and attitude of family members also
your obligation makes us sad and angry.
This reflects the larger issue of women being Female Respondent, Islamabad, Urban, 24-34
adversely impacted through discriminatory Wellbeing is ignored in Pakistan, people have anxiety
treatment in the household, which can take grave but no ways to help them.
dimensions in Pakistan. A Reuters Foundation study These aspects have made mental health into a
listed the country as the 6th most dangerous in the critical issue for youth, particularly during the COVID
world for women due to the risks they face from pandemic. An Ipsos survey in 2020 stated that 60%
cultural, religious and traditional practices, as well of Pakistanis experienced mental health issues,
as the fifth worst country on non-sexual violence, largely fueled by the health crisis. According to data
including domestic abuse Attitudes and behaviours from Dr. Ayesha Mian at Aga Khan University, around
in the home are an important factor in changing this, 50 million Pakistanis are already suffering from
as discussed in the qualitative research. Young mental health disorders, while approximately 20
female respondents noted that the confidence they million children or 10% of the population require
have in being able to face social challenges (fight attention from mental health practitioners. In 2022,
against harassment, strive for employment) is based NED Karachi’s neurocomputational laboratory
on family support. This was reflected in the FGDs, revealed results from a study of 3000+ youth,
but with women often saying that the lack of showing a 40% rise in psychologically adverse
adequate support in the home on these matters, effects, a 28% rise in depression, 27% rise in anxiety
leading them less equipped to deal with such and 22% rise in stress, in comparison with the
adversity. previous year. The increase was largely attributed to
Female Respondent, 16-24, Karachi Urban the societal impact of the COVID pandemic.
Lack of confidence is another challenge, then I’m
3
Shonkoff JP, Richmond JB. Investment in early childhood development lays the foundation for a prosperous and sustainable
society. In: Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development.; 2009:1-5.
4
Koçak O, Ak N, Erdem SS, Sinan M, Younis MZ, Erdoğan A. The Role of Family Influence and Academic Satisfaction on Career
Decision-Making Self-Efficacy and Happiness. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 May 31;18(11):5919. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18115919.
PMID: 34072961; PMCID: PMC8197847.
5
Sattar, T. Yasin, G. Fani, M.I. Afzal, S. Determinants of generation gap among parents and children in Multan City, Pakistan December
2010. International Research Journal of Finance and Economics 60:94-101
6
The COVID pandemic also escalated violence against women, with a sharp rise observed in 2020 according to a report by
the Aurat Foundation7.

The 2014 Next Generation study chronicled a huge emphasis on obedience to parents/elders
number of stories where young individuals recalled and any questioning of how things work being seen
being subject to psychological harassment from as insubordination means that young people feel
families. Some young women interviewed said they personal development and growth is stifled. Com-
were bullied for not looking attractive compared to bining this with the lack of freedom to choose how
other girls, while young men complained of being they want to live or work there is a real risk that
stigmatised for not having a job, resulting in lack of Pakistani youth may end up ambitionless or lacking
self confidence10. These sentiments were mirrored critical thinking and innovation. Given the presence
in the 2022 Next Generation study as well. of the youth bulge, this could have serious implica-
Female Respondent, Islamabad, Urban, 24-34 tions for the country’s political, social and econom-
When people stay at home, they get negative and ic future.
feel depressed due to negative words by families. Tech/entrepreneur expert, KII
Our society doesn’t take people seriously if they Parents do not understand their children’s ambitions,
mention that they are feeling depressed. their need to be more than just robots...They are not
Pressures arising from the economic situation of looking for answers. They are looking for someone to
families is also a source of frustration and disen- listen.
chantment among some young people. Many in the The findings from the survey support the views that
FGDs discussed that they have been forced to join were expressed in the qualitative research regard-
the family business, leave education to start a job, ing these generational gaps. The results showed
or to pick a ‘safe’ career over those they would that on practically every issue they were asked
prefer to pursue, in order to financially support about, as significant proportions of the participants
their families. believe they have different opinions to older
Male Respondent, 24-34, Lahore Urban generations. This was most notable with regard to
Families pressurise to join the family business so they social change, with 46% agreeing that they hold
think of education as (mainly for) awareness that you different views to their family compared with 37%
study but you will still do business. So I had to switch who disagreed.
the career on dad’s wishes.
A lack of autonomy in other areas of life was also
discussed. It was often expressed in the FGDs that
young people are unable to have their emotional or
intellectual needs met. A culture where there is
6
“World’s 10 Most Dangerous Countries for Women”. Thomson Reuters Foundation. 2018. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-women-
dangerous-poll-factbox-idUSKBN1JM01Z
7
“Pakistan sees rise in gender-based violence during COVID-19”. The News. Dec 2021. https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/914582-
pakistan-sees-a-rise-in-gender-based-violence-during-covid-19
10
Next Generation Pakistan 2014 Report. https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/next_generation_insecure_lives_
untold_stories.pdf

My parents and I have differing social consequences.
and religious values : Further breaking down the data reveals that young
T2B (Agree) 44% people belonging to joint/extended families, with
B2B (Disagree) 43% little trust in the political system, and hail from KP
and Balochistan, are more inclined towards lack of
agency in their lives than the national average.
'My views, opinions and preferences
regarding education are very different Male Respondent, 16-24, Peshawar Rural
from those of my parents': I used to dream about being a cricketer but then I
T2B Agree 45% saw my father’s financial status and I realized that he
B2B Disagree 40% needs me to earn money and help him out and I killed
my dream right there and parents usually don’t
support such things.
My family doesn’t approve of my lifestyle
choices :
T2B (Agree) 42% To what degree would you say that you
are able to decide what your future is
B2B (Disagree) 41%
going to be like?
My family and I have differing views when Base:All respondents 3446

it comes to social change :
T2B (Agree) 46% Very much unable/somewhat unable to
B2B (Disagree) 37% decide my future 39%
My parents and I clash when it comes to

career choices : Neither able nor unable to decide my future 18%
T2B (Agree) 37%
B2B (Disagree) 46% Somewhat able/very much able to decide my
future 43%
Some groups stand out as believing their views

different from those of the parents/families more The lack of agency that youth feel about their future,
often. For instance, those who are self employed are is not purely related to perceptions of differing
more likely to say their social and religious values views on social issues alone. Pakistan has seen a
differ from those of their parents (57%) and that decline in several key economic indicators…., which
they have clashed with their parent on career in turn could be impacting how the participants feel
choices (43%) compared with the national youth about their current and future circumstances.
average. Transgender respondents are also more Indeed, almost half of those surveyed believe that
likely to say their views differ from their parents, their lives are worse off than their parents.
particularly in regard to lifestyle choices (64%) and Importantly, 75% of respondents who said their lives
education (63%). are worse off also stated that they were unable to
Such perceptions and experiences on differing decide their future. This reflects a pattern of
views between young people and their elders at pessimism and fatalism among a substantial portion
home (and more broadly) could lead to them being of young Pakistanis. Provincially, the highest
unable to express or actualise themselves. Without percentage was in Balochistan, where 70% of the
the right support in their homes for example, they respondents stated that young peoples’ lives are
are unable to decide their life or career direction. worse off than those of their parents.
Indeed, two in five young people said they were
unable to decide their future, a sign they feel
powerlessness which could have potentially dire

How would you say the lives of young Development" notes that development will only be
people in Pakistan today compared to sustainable if it is inclusive as "the emphasis on
their parents? sustainability, equity and inclusion reminds us that
pursuing development grounded in social justice
Base:All respondents 3446 will be fundamental to achieving a socially,
economically and environmentally sustainable
The lives of young people today are a lot future"11.
worse than their parents 23% One the one hand, Pakistan can be seen to have had
some successes in terms of promoting and
The lives of young people today are a little
achieving and inclusive society. Multiple ethnicities
worse than their parents 26%
(5 major and numerous minor), faiths and other
identities such as family linkage or baradari and
The lives of young people today are neither
better nor worse than their parents 19% tribal affiliation exist in unison. No better evidence
of this exists than the estimate that over 70
The lives of young people today are a little languages are spoken across Pakistan12. However,
better than their parents 23% it can also be seen that certain groups remain
disenfranchised from the mainstream, and in
The lives of young people today are a lot particular including women, persons with a disability
better than their parents 9% and minorities.
Social inclusivity comprises economic, political and
social empowerment, in a manner that is
Insecure Lives: Social Marginalisation representative and inclusive of the diverse
based on Gender and Disability communities of Pakistan. Pakistan’s cultural
diversity has commonly been placed as its strength,
Key Takeaways: as a heterogeneous 200+million strong population
• Two in three young Pakistanis complain of with multifaceted representation from individuals
discrimination in Pakistan on the basis of and groups belonging to various faiths and
ethnicity, religious beliefs and political beliefs ethnicities. Despite this, issues of access and
• Educated and internet using respondents were exclusivity exist at multiple levels, which prevent
more likely to report discrimination those who are deprived or disenfranchised from
• Three in five participants state society treats becoming part of the mainstream. This
people differently on the basis of gender disproportionately affects young people, who are
• Over 60% of young people believe the the majority of the population, and constitute a
transgender community is discriminated against higher population of unemployed and disability
• Over 60% of participants believe that persons prone than the national average.
with disability face discrimination Gender and Youth
Pakistan’s data on gender equality paints a grim
Social inclusivity is a critical aspect of development, picture. The National Gender Policy Framework
particularly on pursuing access to and ensuring (NGPF) 2022 report by the Ministry of Planning,
equality of, opportunities and outcomes for all Development and Special Initiatives catalogued
segments of society. The UN Report "Leaving No some of the major global indices related to gender,
One Behind: The Imperative of Inclusive none of which show Pakistan in a positive light13.
These indices are shown below:
11
“Leaving No One Behind: The Imperative of Inclusive Development”. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
2016. https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/rwss/2016/full-report.pdf
12
“How Many Languages are Spoken in Pakistan”. SAMAA News. 2019. https://www.samaaenglish.tv/news/1692432
13
Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives. “National gender policy framework”. 2022 https://www.pc.gov.pk/
uploads/report/NGPF.pdf

The NGPF report outlines some key gaps between declared quota for transgender people. An analysis
the employment potential and reality of women in of youth policies by the Pakistan Institute of
Pakistan. For instance, the female to male ratio of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT)
youth labor force participation is 0.32, while for noted that Punjab, KP and Balochistan have no
physically intensive labor, it is 0.24. This is in stark explicit policy on the transgender community, while
contrast to the female-male ratio for secondary the Sindh Youth Policy mentions a 2% job quota for
enrolment and political participation, 0.8 and 0.65 all vulnerable youth groups, which including
respectively. Multiple barriers at community, minorities, trans people and PWDs15.
workplace and education levels limit young women Female participants discussed how their
in contributing to their fullest. experiences in the home and the workplace are
Female respondent, 24-34, Islamabad Urban often different to male experiences, and how this
Parents push their sons to study more as they have contributes to continued gender equality. This
to support families and since daughters will be included for example, how people look at them
married off they are not given opportunities when the work to their place of work, how parents
This discrimination is only further exacerbated when prioritise the education of their sons over that of
it comes to the transgender community. According their daughters, home life.
to sources reported by the Global Human Rights Female respondent, 16 – 24, Karachi Rural
Defence (GHRD), the majority of the transgender The staring of people makes me very uncomfortable
community remains illiterate due to stigmatization since I’m walking to my workplace. Their eyes are bad
and social exclusion, while workplace barriers and they look a lot in a bad way
means their most common employment choices are Male respondent, 24 – 34, Lahore Urban
dancing and sex work and those with fewer choices In organizations men are preferred more as they can
even resorting to begging14. It does not help that work late and don’t have home issues.
the government has little in policy other than a

The survey results affirm the feedback from the
FGDs, with three in five (62%) of all respondents Male Female Transgender
saying that they are treated differently because of 61% 59% 79%
their gender/sex.
While youth consider these issues as important,
You are treated differently because of your
there is a mixed verdict on the extent to which
gender/sex
T2B (Agree) 62 young people feel empowered to do anything about
B2B (Disagree) 26 it. Most of the groups put the onus on the
government to intervene, while some of the experts
This sentiment was more pronounced among stated that social media has allowed the
respondents from rural areas (65%), educated at amplification of activism to address these aspects.
religious institutes (72%) and were pessimistic
about their outlook (68%). Academic Expert, KII
In addition to this, the rights and disadvantages of Practices which discriminate against other people is
the transgender community were also highlighted never going to provide solutions. Polarization and
as a key issue, with many stating that they don’t stigmatization needs to stop. Youth know its wrong,
receive employment opportunities or social but they are not empowered to do anything about it,
standing due to their gender. for them it’s a survival thing, they are just trying to
Female Respondent, 16-34, Karachi Rural SEC CD go past it, without any solutions to be provided for
Transgender people have the most issues in our them.
societies as they don’t get any jobs or opportunities.
They can’t even get admissions in schools. Public attitudes towards minority genders are
The transgender community also feel a lack of largely skewed towards existing patriarchal
opportunities. Overall, the Pakistani youth recognise structures of masculinity and femininity in society.
this is an issue for the transgender community, with The annual report of the National Commission on
61% agreeing that the transgender community is the Status of Women (NCSW) observes that like most
denied opportunities, with this increasing to 79% countries around the world, Pakistan too suffers
among the transgender respondents. The from “the existing and continuing inherent
experiences of the transgender community in the patriarchal structures, shaping the social and
workplace is discussed in more detail in the section cultural patterns. Such structures affect girls and
on Employment. women the most, owing to which girls and women to
date suffer from gender inequality in every walk of
The transgender community is denied
opportunities life."16 Recurring patterns of violence,
T2B (Agree) 61% cyberbullying, limited political and economic
B2B (Disagree) 17% opportunities, and unending social constrictions,
are all major threats to the ability of young women
% who agree with: Transgender community is and transgender people to actualize towards
denied opportunities socio-economic empowerment.
14
Global Human Rights Defence.“TRANSGENDER EMPLOYMENT QUOTAS IN PAKISTAN”. 2022 https://ghrd.org/transgender-employment-
quotas-in-pakistan/
15
Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency. “A Study of Youth Policies in Pakistan”. 2020 https://pildat.org/wp-
content/uploads/2020/09/AStudyofYouthPoliciesinPakistan.pdf?Submit=Download
16
“Annual Report 2018-19”. National Commission on the Status of Women. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NiBVcPcfPT3xH6fY1IZ3
Ps6uFALIpyJ3/view

Female Academic Expert, KII over five times the 0.44% national percentage.
There is physical violence, but verbal violence is Hence the issue of accessibility, both in terms of
worse. I feel people are very violent with the way they physical spaces and opportunities,
look at women. That also includes women. disproportionately affects youth.zzz
Persons with Disability (PWDs) Further barriers also exist. The same Gallup study
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals also noted that less than 23% of PWDs are
(SDGs) includes seven specific targets related to employed. The British Council report Moving from
PWDs, reflecting the importance of catering to their the Margins details the various reasons, including
needs as a key development indicator17. Pakistan societal stigmatization, lack of quality
defines Persons with Disability as “those who have education/skills, misconceptions and negative
long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory outlooks on disability, physical inaccessibility, and
impairments which in interaction with various lack of adequate facilities for PWDs . The report also
barriers may hinder their full and effective observes the lack of Special Education Needs (SEN)
participation in society on an equal basis with schools in rural areas, and issues of limited mobility
others.”18 The inclusion of individuals who are and accessibility in the primary and especially
differently abled/disabled is a key development tertiary education sectors. Lack of infrastructure,
indicator for Pakistan, based on their ability to curriculum design and inclusivity driven policies are
access and avail opportunities, as well as co-opt into major barriers for both employment and education
society. for young PWDs.
Upon analysis of the historic data, the number of These concerns are shared by young Pakistanis,
PWDs in Pakistan have actually decreased in who agree by a significant majority that PWDs are
proportion to the population. Gallup conducted a subject to discriminatory treatment.
deep dive in its Big Data Analysis of Census 201719
based on the latest census figures, and found that In Pakistan, one is treated differently because of
0.44% of Pakistanis identified as disabled, mental/physical disability
T2B (Agree) 66
compared to the 1998 Census when the percentage
B2B (Disagree) 22
was 2.38%. Over 2/3rds of PWDs are illiterate, which
is significantly higher than average Pakistani
The aspect of intersectionality is a crucial one too.
illiteracy rate of 41.09%. Almost 70% of this
The survey conducted for the British Council Moving
population resides in the rural areas, where
from Margins report showed that an overwhelming
accessibility issues are far more disproportionately
percentage of young women with disabilities were
prevalent that urban areas, not that they are vastly
unemployed (93%), while just over half (53%)
better. Further data from the National Institute of
received any kind of education. Hence the
Population Studies DHS survey shows that about a
discrimination being dealt to young women in
quarter of young people between the ages of 10
literacy and the workplace is just compounded
and 29 experience disability in some form (10-15 at
when they are a PWD as well.
2.2%. 15-19 at 2.4%, and 20-29 at 2.6%)20, which is
17
#Envision2030. United Nations. https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/envision2030.html#:~:text=The%20SDGs%20al
so%20explicitly%20include,the%20monitoring%20of%20the%20SDGs.
18
“Country section: Pakistan”. DisabilityIN. https://disabilityin.org/country/pakistan/#:~:text=Pakistan%20also%20follows%20the%
20CRPD's,an%20equal%20basis%20with%20others.%E2%80%9D
19
“Big Data Analysis of Census 2017. Gallup Pakistan.
20
National Institute of Population Studies “Disability studies”. 2018 https://www.nips.org.pk/page/disability-data

An Economy in Crisis: Financial Decline score of 48.8, the fifth lowest in the region24.
and Youth Prospects This downward trend went to new lows with the
COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The
Key Takeaways: outbreak had a major impact on the global
• Economic growth is seen as the top concern for economy, destroying supply chains and ravaging
youth (61%) businesses with serious socio-economic
• Economic crisis is directly linked to employment consequences. Pakistan, struggled to combat the
decline, a key priority of youth economic fallout, with adverse effects major sectors
• Almost nine in ten young Pakistanis see economy like tourism, travelling, hotels and hospitality,
as a key voting issue at the national level transportation and education25.
2022 has not fared any better. Data from the
Pakistan’s economy has remained in a state of flux Finance Ministry highlights that the global economy
for decades. The country has experienced frequent is suffering from slow growth, higher inflation and
macroeconomic crises, due to a growth model with monetary tightening, leading to a contraction in
limited productivity enhancing investments and global economic activity in August 202226. This has
exports21. While the 21st Century has seen the also led to higher energy and commodity prices,
country perform admirably on poverty alleviation, it which have only been compounded by the
has less to do with economic policy, and more with catastrophic floods this year. The loss of billions in
other factors such as the increase in migration and livelihoods, living areas, livestock and crops, has put
associated remittances, which allowed over 47 the economy in an extremely precarious situation.
million Pakistanis to escape poverty between 2001 This has tremendous ramifications for young
and 201822. students and professionals, who see a decline in
Many of the economic issues plaguing Pakistan are opportunities, reduction in purchasing power, and
chronic, ranging from a debt trap to an unstable severe economic stress. This is a major extrinsic
GDP, record-low exchange rates, rising inflation and burden on young Pakistanis, preventing their
widening current account deficits. To keep afloat, upward mobilisation and actualisation.
the country has reached out to the IMF 22 times23, These apprehensions are corroborated by the
and despite political promises, has continued to survey results, which show that unemployment and
resort to bailouts from the Fund, or friendly nations. economic growth are the top concerns of young
Due to these poor indicators, Pakistan is currently Pakistanis.
ranked 153 out of 165 countries in the Global
Economic Freedoms Index 2022, with an overall
21
Pakistan: Country Overview. World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/pakistan/overview
22
Pakistan: Country Overview. World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/pakistan/overview
23
Hussain, Nadeem. “Economy: Pakistan’s Story of Debt”. 2022. https://www.dawn.com/news/1726921
24
Pakistan. Economic Freedoms Index 2022. Heritage Foundation. https://www.heritage.org/index/country/pakistan
25
Economic Survey of Pakistan. Ministry of Finance. 2021. https://www.finance.gov.pk/survey/chapters_21/Overview.pdf
26
Economic Update and Outlook. Ministry of Finance. Sept 2022. https://www.finance.gov.pk/economic/economic_update_
September_2022.pdf

What are the most concerning issues today for youth?
Base: 3446
Unemployment 61
61
Economic growth 26
26
lack of access to education 25
19
Extremism / terrorism 19
16
Violence and conflict 16
16
Climate change 14
14
Gender inequality
12
Political polarisation
11
Global financial system 10
6
It is important to note that these apprehensions How important are the following issues in
existed in the 2009 report as well, which listed deciding how you will vote?
inflation and unemployment among the top issues
facing Pakistan. It is lamentable that 13 years later, Base:All respondents 3466
not much has changed on this front. Improving the economy
From 2009 report T2B (Important) 89
B2B (Not important) 4
Additionally, issues of non-merit based

opportunities, economic deprivation brought on by
high inflation rates, and lack of social justice
promoting capital flight were some of the main
complaints highlighted in the KIIs and the FGDs.
Another area highlighted by the KIIs, and picked by
the group respondents later, was the inequality of
facilities, particularly infrastructure development,
that created severe disparities in technology and
internet support. This was a key factor which
It follows then, that improving the economy is one of determined crucial outcomes for youth
the top demands of young people from empowerment, which will be discussed further in
policymakers. Nearly 90% of respondents taking our the following section.
survey said that improving the economy is a critical Male Respondent,16-24, Peshawar Rural
factor in determining who they vote for. Unemployment will increase in the coming years due
to our economic state, even if our education is good,
we still won’t be able to find any jobs in Pakistan. All
we’re told is that we should leave school and start
working at a very young age.

The Perils of Polarization: Social and we take into account large scale acts of violence
Political Divisions against minority communities, including burning of
homes, attacking places of worship, forced
Key Takeaways conversions, and targeted mob violence against
• Young Pakistanis show acceptance for religious individuals and groups. Youth radicalisation is being
diversity, with the majority accepting people of seen as a catalyst in these developments. A study by
other faiths, and showing support for teaching the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies notes that
multiple religions in schools incidents of religiously motivated violence at
• Two in three respondents complain of educational campuses and the rise in youth led
discrimination in Pakistan on the basis of vigilante crimes are symptomatic reflections of
ethnicity, religious beliefs and political beliefs growing radicalisation among educated
youngsters31.
Pakistan is going through a unique period of high Actions involving ethnic groups have also risen in
civic and political engagement, particularly on the recent years, both violent and non-violent. Freedom
internet. However, this engagement is coming at a House, an organisation which maps political,
cost. The fine line between acceptance of diversity, economic and social freedoms, has ranked
and ideological absolutism, is being violated, with Pakistan’s among the lowest countries in its Global
violence being committed on religious, gender and Freedom Index , partially due to its concerns over
ethnic lines. ethnic violence in parts of KP and Balochistan. The
For many years, Pakistan has faced a growing study has attempted to isolate the areas where
problem of religiously motivated violence and these divisions occur, and how they lead to
extremism. The US Commission on International discrimination and discontentment among young
Religious Freedom Report 2022 included Pakistan Pakistanis.
on a list of countries that “engaged in or tolerated Social Acceptance
particularly severe violations of religious freedom” On face value, there seems to be a relatively high
during 202227. The report particularly voiced acceptance for religious diversity among young
concern on violence in the name of blasphemy, as Pakistanis. According to the Next Generation survey
the narratives of extremist elements have limited results over half of young people (56%) say that they
the space for religious inclusion28. accept the views of people of other faiths and
In the most recent high-profile case, a mob of similar proportion (55%) agree that children should
several hundred factory workers beat a Sri Lankan be taught about all religions in school. Around a
Christian manager of a factory in December 2021. quarter in each case, however, disagree.
The videos of the incident spread like wildfire on
social media, leading to the arrests and sentencing I accept the views of people of other faiths :
of 88 people29. The Center for Social Justice T2B (Agree) 56%

tabulated that in 2021 84 people were accused of B2B (Disagree) 24%
blasphemy30. 39 of the 84 were from minorities
communities. This is just the tip of the iceberg, when
27
“US Keeps Pakistan on Religious Violators List”. DAWN. Dec 2022. https://www.dawn.com/news/1724407#:~:text=WASHINGTON%
3A%20The%20United%20States%20on,of%20religious%20freedom%E2%80%9D%20during%202022
28
US Commission on International Religious Freedom. 2022 Update. August 2022. https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2022-
08/2022%20Pakistan%20Country%20Update.pdf
29
“Sri Lankan Factory Manager Lynched and Set on Fire in Pakistan. Al-Jazeera. Dec 2021. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/
12/3/sri-lankan-factory-manager-lynched-and-set-on-fire-in-pakistan
30
“Human Rights Observer 2022”. Center for Social Justice. https://csjpak.org/pdf/HR_Observer_2022.pdf
31
“Making Sense of Pakistani Youth”. Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies. 2022. https://www.pakpips.com/web/wp-content/uploads
/2022/04/National-Report.pdf

I believe children in school should maintain distance from me because I am a Shia and
be taught about all religions : the majority is Sunni.
T2B (Agree) 55% The study findings corroborated these assertions,
with a majority of youth responding that people in
B2B (Disagree) 24%
Pakistan are discriminated for a variety of reasons,
including ethnicity, religious/spiritual beliefs and
This sentiment was reflected in some of the focus
political beliefs. The reduction of space for
groups as well, where young women said that this
pluralistic acceptance and nuance has given way to
education should begin from home.
a divisive and binary atmosphere. The results are a
Female Respondent, 24-34, Islamabad Urban
damning indictment of the way young people
Parents should answer kids’ queries regarding
perceive social relations in Pakistan.
different religions and ethnicities so children are
aware about other communities and religions.
For each statement, indicate the extent to which
Young respondents from minority communities have
you agree (5) or disagree (1).
also desired to have a more pluralistic outlook in the
education environment.
When you are treated differently
Christian Male Respondent, 24-34, Lahore
We should educate our children on the vulnerable because of your race/ethnicity
groups, teachers can play a vital role to educate the T2B (Agree) 66%
children on vulnerable groups, as they spend most B2B (Disagree) 22%
time with teachers.
Social Fault Lines When you are treated differently because
Further investigation of the qualitative and
of your religious/spiritual beliefs
quantitative data, however, does show a gap
T2B (Agree) 67%
between how Pakistani youth perceives its own
levels of tolerance and their experiences and B2B (Disagree) 20%
perceptions of discrimination.
In the FGDs for example, young people recognised When you are treated differently because
that religious minorities are not able to even of your political beliefs
celebrate their events and holidays, while some T2B (Agree) 67%
experts expressed concern about increasingly
B2B (Disagree) 20%
polarisation among young people with regards to
religion.
While these views were held by all segments of
Youth education expert, KII
society, educated and internet users were more
I see two kinds of kids now, none in the middle. One is
likely to agree with these statements. There are two
very vocal about how religion is being misused…the
potential reasons for this. Either a) young people
other is about how far we are going from religion and
who are more aware of social biases and
we need to go back to our core values. There’s a lot
discrimination are more likely to recognise them vs.
of this on social media. There’s always one group
asking for someone to be lynched.
Male Respondent, 24-34, Lahore Urban
Minorities are not treated right…Muslims are a
majority and they celebrate events whereas
minorities can’t.
Female Respondent, Shia, 16-24, Karachi
I have faced many things due to which people try and

those who are not, or b) These persecutory change. This summer, severe monsoon weather
practices are happening more in educational resulted in rainfall nearly three times more than the
institutes or the internet, resulting in greater national average, causing widespread flooding and
reporting among these groups. This will be landslides. According to UNICEF data34, over 6.4
discussed further in the section on effects. million people, including an estimated 3.4 million
children, are in need of humanitarian assistance,
Climate Catastrophe: Global Warming while over half a million homes were destroyed, and
and its Impact another million damaged. In all 33 million people
have been adversely affected, with 80 districts
Key Takeaways declared ‘calamity hit’. The damage runs into tens of
• 70% of young Pakistanis are concerned with the billions of dollars, much of which may never recover.
environmental impact of climate change
• 56% of respondents linked the 2022 floods to As destructive as this year has been, the young
climate change, while 68% said they have an people of Pakistan will likely feel the worst effects of
understanding of the science behind it climate as they grow older; temperature increase
• 80% of young Pakistanis consider climate and the subsequent fallout will be witnessed in the
change as a key voting issue in the national decades to come unless global and urgent action is
election taken. Hence knowledge of climate science,
mitigation and adaptation strategies, the role of
Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries to personal and institutional responsibility, regulatory
the effects of global warming. The Global Climate knowledge and advocacy are all critical.
Risk Index 2020 ranks Pakistan as the fifth most
affected country due to the impacts of climate The floods and their devastation have forced the
change observed from 1999 to 2018. Pakistan saw a public to take notice of climate change in a way
rise from the eighth position in 2017 to fifth position never seen before in Pakistan. The Next Generation
in 201833. Only four other countries - Puerto Rico, survey shows that a majority of Pakistani youth are
Myanmar, Haiti and Philippines- have a higher concerned with about the environmental impacts of
Climate Risk Index (CRI) score than Pakistan. climate change in Pakistan, with higher
apprehensions among those living in urban areas
2022 has been a major wake up call for the country than those living in rural areas.
and the world on the adverse effects of climate
33
Global Climate Risk Index 2020, Who Suffers Most from Extreme Weather Events? Weather Related Loss Events in 2018 and 1999
to 2018, David Eckstein, Vera Kunzel, Laura Schafer, Maik Winges, German watch, 2020
34
UNICEF Flash Flood Appeal Infographic. https://www.unicef.org/media/127526/file/UNICEF%20Pakistan%
20Floods%20Flash%20Appeal.pdf

These findings are quite similar to those found in the The data also showed that the public is linking the
British Council Climate Connection Pakistan report, 2022 floods to climate change. Once again, this
which stated that seven in ten young Pakistanis linkage was clearer for urban respondents than rural
were concerned about the perceived threat of ones, indicating more sensitisation of the issue in
climate change35. urban areas.
Statement: Floods are occurring due to climate change

Base: Rural/Urban Breakdown
This invites some comparisons with the 2021

Climate Connection study, in which only 19% of 35 “Climate Connection – Pakistan: South Asia Perceptions of
young respondents cited floods as a climate-posed Young People on Climate Change and Action”. British Council.
2021.
incident. The tremendous rise of young people
https://www.britishcouncil.pk/sites/default/files/country_report
make this connection can be attributed to high
_pakistan_full_v7.pdf
sensitivity due to 2022 floods, which were widely
seen as a major sign of global warming impacting 36 “Nature is Striking Back: Flooding around the world from
communities all around the world, from Australia to Australia to Venezuela”. The Guardian. 2022.
Venezuela36. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/20/floodi
ng-world-climate-crisis-australia-venezuela-nigeria
The issue is also expected to be a major priority for
young voters in the 2023 election. The survey
B2B (Not important) 6%
findings show that 80% of participants consider
tackling climate change an important issue in
Slightly over half of the respondents also claim to
deciding who they support. Young Pakistanis are
have an understanding of climate change as a
demanding that policymakers deal with the issue as
subject. As expected, educated urban youth scored
a priority, and we can expect to see greater politi-
slightly higher. This too shows higher sensitization
cal messaging on it in the 2023 Elections.
to global warming, and increased interest in the
subject.
How important are the following issues in
deciding how you will vote? I understand the science behind
Tackling climate change why climate change happens:
T2B (Important) 80% T2B (Agree) 56%
B2B (Disagree) 21%

While there was awareness on the issue, more is
needed to educate and activate young people on
the causes and effects of climate change. The
Global Youth Letter Pakistan report alludes to this as
well, with young respondents identifying three key
hurdles to increased awareness on climate change:
limited or no access to knowledge resources,
limited or no tutoring on climate and related issues
at educational institutes, and the insufficient role of
media in creating awareness37.
On the other hand, the experts interviewed for this
study were of the view that though young people
know about its importance but do not consider it
particularly relevant for their lives personally.
Therefore, it was suggested that more could be
done at the primary to university level, introducing it
as part of curricula.
Youth Education expert, KII
We hold our professors accountable for a number of
issues, but to raise their voice on big issues on
climate change isn’t there. You will not see youth
speak much over there. For example when some
politician said something stupid, you saw kids make
memes out of it, but there was little on the lines on
‘what is going on? This is not ok’.
35
“Climate Connection – Pakistan: South Asia Perceptions of Young People on Climate Change and Action”. British Council.
2021. https://www.britishcouncil.pk/sites/default/files/country_report_pakistan_full_v7.pdf
36
“Nature is Striking Back: Flooding around the world from Australia to Venezuela”. The Guardian. 2022. https://www.theguardian.
com/environment/2022/oct/20/flooding-world-climate-crisis-australia-venezuela-nigeria
37
“Youth Voice on Climate Action: Pakistan”. British Council. 2021. https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/cluster_c_
country_letters_pakistan_fnl_branded.pdf

E2: Emerging Challenges
The environmental factors discussed in the previous minds are firmly fixed on the two avenues critical to
section have heavily influenced the key priorities of this process: earning and learning. The following
youth of Pakistanis. The main focus of the next section outlines the main preferences and obstacles
generation is to better itself and progress ahead to both these fields, and how it is shaping their
financially and intellectually. For this reason, young approach to them.
Bereft of Opportunities: The Increasingly, the choices of young people are

Employment Challenge geared towards financial stability and well being for
their families, and their ability to earn remains their
Key Takeaways highest priority. It is seen as an integral means to
• Financial security and career success are among better oneself, improve family status, and mobilise
the highest priorities for youth. upward in society.
• Unemployment and economic growth are the After having a family (43%), young people say that
highest areas of concern financial stability (40%), living independently (38%),
• Women are seven times more likely to remain and a career of their choice (36%) is what will
unemployed than men, largely due to cultural contribute most to the personal success and
barriers happiness which are clearly linked to employment.
• Seven in ten respondents said their family’s While young people seem optimistic about their
financial situation determined their career future career (71%), the reality is that Pakistan is
choices going through one of the most challenging
• Educated and internet users are far more economic periods in its history. World Bank data
optimistic about their career prospects indicates a slowing growth rate of 2%, compounded
• Transgender respondents complained far more by the economic devastation left behind by the
about sexual harassment and mistreatment in 2022 floods, which have crippled a country already
the workplace struggling with high public debt, subdued global
growth and sharply rising inflation38. In such an
The employment prospects for the next generation environment, work opportunities are severely
constitute one of the most critical issues for youth. decreased.

The issue is not necessarily new. In the 2009 Next taught through the education system, with
Generation report from the British Council, it was suggestions the current system is severely
already highlighted that 36 million jobs would be hampered in its ability to produce professionals well
needed in the decade that followed39, while equipped for modern industries and services.
opportunities were on the decline due to the According to data produced by the Global Business
2008/9 global recession. In the 15 or so intervening Coalition for Education (GBC-Education) and
years only half those jobs have been created UNICEF, only 18% of Pakistanis under the age of 24
according to the findings from the 2022 Labour have the skills required for 21st Century jobs43. The
Force Survey40. majority of graduates entering the job market are
However, employment is not down to just economic not skilled/trained enough to cope with the
conditions. The youth bulge of the country has challenges of 21st century job requirements,
increased due to an alarming population growth leading to unemployment, or unsteady employment.
rate of 2.4%41. Out of the 220+ million population of
the country, approximately two thirds is under the
age of 30, making Pakistan one of the youngest It follows, therefore, that unemployment ranks as
populations in the world. This means an even the top concern (alongside economic growth)
greater number of youth require employment among those surveyed.
suggesting that the youth of 2022 are even more
disadvantaged than the youth of 2009. According The Literacy-Labour Dichotomy
to the World Bank, youth unemployment rates for According to government statistics, Pakistan
15-24 year olds have risen from 0.8% in 2007 to possesses the 10th largest labour force in the world,
9.4% in 2021, the highest it has ever been 42. increasing from 65.5 million in 2017-18 to 71.76
Male Respondent, 16-24, Peshawar Rural million in 2020-2144. While the unemployment rate
Unemployment will increase in the coming years due in the country has lowered from 6.9 to 6.3 percent in
to our economic state, even if our education is good, this time period, youth unemployment is actually
we still won’t be able to find any jobs in Pakistan. All much higher, with 12.2 percent unemployment rate
we’re told is that we should leave school and start for young people between the ages of 20 and 24,
working at a very young age. and 8.9 percent for ages 25 to 29. Furthermore,
these percentages have actually risen significantly
Another barrier to youth employment is the gap in recent years.
between industry requirements and what is being
38
World Bank: Pakistan’s Economy Slows Down While Inflation Rises Amid Catastrophic Floods, Oct 2022. https://www.worldbank.org/
en/news/press-release/2022/10/06/world-bank-pakistan-s-economy-slows-down-while-inflation-rises-amid-catastrophic-floods
39
‘Next Gen Pakistan’. British Council. 2009. https://www.britishcouncil.pk/sites/default/files/next-generation-report.pdf
40
“Employment Boom in the Last 3 Years”. Express Tribune. March 2022. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2350416/employment-boom-in
-last-3-years
41
‘Population, Labor Force and Employment’. Economic Survey of Pakistan 2018-19. Ministry of Finance. https://www.finance.gov.pk/
survey/chapters_19/12-Population.pdf
42
Unemployment, youth (15-24). World Bank. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.ZS?locations=PK
43
UNICEF GBC Education Study Results. 2019. https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/more-half-south-asian-youth-are-not-track-
have-education-and-skills-necessary
44
Ministry of Finance statistics. https://www.finance.gov.pk/survey/chapter_22/PES12-POPULATION.pdf
45
“Literacy Rate – 15-24 years in Pakistan”. World Bank. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.1524.LT.ZS?locations=PK
46
“Skill Disconnect in Sindh”. British Council. 2015. https://www.britishcouncil.pk/sites/default/files/skill_disconnect_in_sindh.pdf

Traditionally, progress on youth literacy and counterparts (84% to 7%), even though their ratio as
enrolment should be seen as creating a more skilled students is roughly 2:1. Clearly a major proportion
and employed work force. World Bank statistics of the young female population is not being allowed
show a rise of literacy levels of 15–24-year-olds to join the workforce, despite being capable of
from 65% in 2005 to 73% in 201945. Yet doing so.
discrepancies exist between education and
Overall Self-employed
employment levels, which appear to be moving in sample Student Employedv /entrepreneur Unemployed
opposite directions. This is partially explained in Male 48 64 84 74 12
previous Next Generation studies, which state that Female 48 36 7 11 85
despite rising literacy and enrolment levels,
unemployment levels have not improved Low rates of female employment are rooted in social
significantly – indicating the link between expanding and cultural restrictions. The British Council report
human capabilities and higher productivity. The Understanding Meaningful Participation of Women
British Council report "Skill Disconnect in Sindh" In Leadership sheds further light on this, stating that
assessed three key areas for skill development patriarchal values and subsequent cultural barriers
where deficiencies exist in the labour pool: English restrict women’s performance in the workplace,
proficiency, Computer and IT skills, and numeracy which alongside home responsibilities, lack of family
and computational skills46. The report noted a support leading to self doubt, and inadequate
significant gap between the requirements of the policies for working mothers, contributed to lower
industry and the emphasis by the skill institute as participation in senior positions.47
reported by respondents. It was also observed that
these skills are highly prioritised by youth as well, Dissatisfaction and Stigmatization
and yet don’t appear to be receiving the requisite However, young people are not just facing issues
level of attention. with unemployment. Even when they are part of the
This in turn translates to higher unemployment workforce, they encounter limitations of other
levels, even for those educated enough to be part of varieties.
the labour force. Job creation is a critical challenge Our survey data highlights several key challenges.
now. Young people most commonly identify low wages as
Disability Advocate, KII being a challenge for youth in employment, which
Our main challenges are in employment creation, has likely become a problematic issue due to
not skills organisation or learning…Persons of an declining purchasing power amidst rampant
employable age vs. employment opportunities has inflation. Excessive labour supply also means
resulted in a big supply demand issue. companies have the upper hand in determining
The survey results reflect these anxieties. As salaries, which means it will be harder for young
discussed in the earlier section on economy, young people to change the current status on salaries.
people increasingly see unemployment as the most Long working hours and corruption are the next
concerning issue for them, followed by economic most commonly mentioned challenges for youth in
growth, both of which are deeply linked. employment overall, though for the transgender
Young women are at even greater disadvantage community mistreatment and sexual harassment
than young men with regards to employment. are bigger concerns. A major reason for this is the
According to the Next Generation survey young cultural stigmatization of the transgender
women are seven times more likely to be community, which prevents them from social and
unemployed than young men (85% to 12%), and 12 economic inclusion, leaving them prone to
times less likely to be employed than their male persecution in the workplace.
47 “Understanding Meaningful Participation of Women In Leadership”. British Council. April 2021. https://www.britishcouncil.pk/sites
/default/files/bc_mpwl_report_final_for_web.pdf

Challenges faced by youth in Employment
Base:3446
Even for employed youngsters, the notion of job and a perception that workplace environments are
satisfaction is lacking in many ways. One key reason less accommodating of them.
uncovered in the research was family limitations. Female Respondent, 16-24, Karachi Rural SEC CD
Several respondents in the focus groups com- The major issue we face are mental challenges lead-
plained of having very different aspirations from the ing to stress. Sometimes people are a challenge as
ones they eventually ended at, with cultural limita- they ask why are you doing a job?
tions being cited by females and financial limitations Given the constrictions from families, Pakistani
mentioned by male respondents. Nearly seven in society needs to ask itself whether young people
ten participants stated that their family’s financial are compromising their peace of mind and their
situation determined their career choices. Many internal happiness by being forced to give up on
respondents expressed exasperation with not being their dreams and instead opt for lucrative or socially
able to follow their career path because either their appropriate employment that may satisfy the needs
family was too limited financially or saw lucrative of their families, but neglect their own.
jobs as the only form of employment while marginal- Male Respondent, 24-34, Lahore Urban SEC BC
izing other careers. I have too many responsibilities, so I had to limit my
Male Respondent, 24-34, Peshawar Rural own wishes and things in life to support my family.
Every parent wants their kids to excel regardless of Male Respondent, 16-24 Peshawar Rural, SEC CD
how poor they are, but their state forces them to I used to dream about being a cricketer but then I
force their kids to work at a young age…..All of this saw my father’s financial status and I realized that
happens due to financial issues, they are forced to do he needs me to earn money and help him out and I
this to their children, and no parent wants their kid to killed my dream right there and parents usually
stress about financial issues at such an age. don’t support such things.
The inability of women to have the same career

success as men was a major source of discontent,
attributed mainly to lack of support from families,

The frustration of young professionals also extends participants were optimistic about their future
to their limitations in professional skills. The wide career. Those with private (75%) and public (71%)
gap between educational institutes and the market education and those who use the internet (79%) felt
means that universities are equipping young people more optimistic about their future careers than
with the right skills to improve their employment those who were illiterate (58%) and did not use the
prospects. The oversupply of graduates with no internet (62%). However, this optimism is directly
professional skills prepares them for little other than related to their access to key opportunities in skills,
administrative careers, reducing their employability. learning and facilities. As we will see in our later
The study South Asian Perspectives on Education, sections, young people are increasingly drawn to
Skills and Employment discovered that the region accessing newer technologies and skills, and
faces high rates of graduate unemployment48. availing them is a key source of empowerment.
Religious and ethnic minorities face socio-economic Without them, there is concern that a major
barriers as well. For example, according to human segment of the youth population may fall into a
rights groups cited by the New York Times, while limitation trap with fewer prospects for actualising
Christians make up less than 2% of the country’s or improving their socio-economic conditions.
population, they fill out around 80% of jobs related
to cleaning such as sweeping, garbage collection
and sewerage cleaning, while Hindus mostly fill the
rest49. The government has tried to address this at Q26. What is your Total Private Public
various levels. At the Federal level, a 5% minority outlook of the future? Institute Institute Illiterate
employment allocation has been established. On the
Provincial level, Sindh has promised a 2% quota, Base:All respondents 3446 435 1778 521
while KP, Punjab and Balochistan all see minorities
as priority groups. However, during a Supreme My future career
Court hearing it was revealed that over 30,000 T2B (Optimistic) 71 75 71 58
government seats for minority groups remain B2B (Pessimistic) 16 10 16 26
vacant50, signalling either lack of interest in
recruiting individuals from such groups, or the lack
of trust of groups towards the government itself. Q26. What is your outlook of the future?
These are not positive indicators. They signal that Internet Non-Internet
such groups, despite their yearning for upward Total user user
mobilization, continue to be economically trapped Base:All respondents 3446 1870 1247
by a society that refuses to see them as anything
else. It is inevitable that young people from minority My future career
groups will feel even further disenfranchised. T2B (Optimistic) 71 79 62
Despite these major challenges, most young B2B (Pessimistic) 16 11 23
Pakistanis remained positive about their career
prospects. The Next Gen survey showed that 71% of
48
“South Asian Perspectives on Education, Skills and Employment”. UNICEF. 2019. https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/more-half-
south-asian-youth-are-not-track-have-education-and-skills-necessary
49
New York Times. “Pakistan Christian Sweepers”. 2020 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/04/world/asia/pakistan-christians-
sweepers.html
50
The Express Tribune. “30,000 govt vacant minority seats worries SC”. 2021 https://tribune.com.pk/story/2322342/sc-expresses-
concern-over-30000-minority-vacancies-in-govt-sector

Obsolete Academics: Education and its schools, due to lack of relevant provisions for online
Discontents learning. COVID-19 also resulted in greater
dependency on hybrid/digital models of learning.
Key Takeaways This, along with other infrastructure disparities
• Young people acknowledge failure of suggests the education gap between rural and
education system to provide them with urban communities will widen.
skills needed for modern employment; lack At primary level there is a huge number of ghost
of innovation seen as a critical issue schools all over the country. The lack of basic
• Teaching quality emerges as the no.1 facilities at schools discourages parents to send
concern of youth in the education system their children, especially girls, to schools. The
• Curriculum development harshly criticised problem is more severe in less developed provinces
as a major issue, with more focus on theory since education is a provincial subject. An brief by
than practical application. the Asian Development Bank makes the case that
• Widening industry-university gap, particu inadequate infrastructure facilities are among the
larly in technology, leaves young students leading causes of students’ unwillingness to attend
feeling unprepared for the job market school. The availability of electricity across the
Education is recognised as a very important factor country in primary, middle, high, and higher
in the advancement of a nation. For a country like secondary schools is 68%, 82%, 93%, and 97%,
Pakistan, it is even more essential, considering the respectively. These percentages are alarmingly
low rates of social and economic development over lower for primary and middle schools of Balochistan
the last 75 years. Reversing these trends requires and the newly merged districts of Khyber
providing youngsters with the relevant skills and Pakhtunkhwa53.
knowledge, which is why education is one of A critical factor to assess is the major gap in
Pakistan’s top priority Sustainable Development education inequality. Disparities exist based on
Goals (SDGs). UNDP research shows that education geographic location, as well as demographics.
(or lack of) is the main factor contributing to According to the UNDP National Human
multidimensional poverty in the country51. Development Report, the literacy rate for 10 years
While access to quality education should be among of age and above is 25% lower in rural areas
the top areas of focus for policymakers, it is not compared to urban54. Another key outlier is gender.
attracting the attention it requires. Children’s access Pakistan is currently ranked 135 out of 156
to education in Pakistan is severely lacking. A White countries for educational attainment in the 2022
Paper on SDG-4 published by Asim Bashir for Global Gender Index55, which is a damning
Pakistan Youth Change Advocates observed that indictment of the severe disparity between genders
Pakistan has the second-highest number of in education. This in turn affects key development
out-of-school children in the world. A total of 22.8 indicators. Research shows that gender disparities
million children between the ages of 5 and 16 (44% in education lead to the underutilisation of human
of the age group) do not attend school52. The capital, which has the potential to stifle economic
COVID-19 pandemic threatens to reduce these growth, while also affecting social objectives such
numbers even more. Bashir’s analysis shows that up as educating the coming generation, preventing
to one million children are feared to drop out of child mortality, reducing fertility, and enhancing
child nutrition56.
51 UNDP. Multidimensional Poverty in Pakistan. https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/migration/pk/MPI-4pager.pdf
52 Pakistan Youth Change Advocates. “Public Investment in Education”. 2021 https://pyca.org.pk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/A-white
-paper-asim-Bashir-Khan.pdf
53 Asian Development Bank. “Access Challenges to Education in Pakistan”. 2022
https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/771091/adb-brief-207-access-challenges-education-pakistan.pdf
54 UNDP. “Pakistan National Human Development Report”. 2018 https://www.undp.org/pakistan/publications/pakistan-national-human-
development-report
55 UN Women. Asia and the Pacific. https://asiapacific.unwomen.org/en/countries/pakistan#:~:text=Gender%20inequality%20is%20of%
20significant,95%2F156%20for%20political%20empowerment.

Beyond Literacy and Enrolment allowing for practical work experience.
Another challenge for the education sector in Furthermore, universities are seen as resistant to
Pakistan is its inability to produce professionals well innovation, stuck in bureaucratic holes and reject
equipped for modern industries and services. As critical thinking and openness as akin to
noted earlier, GBC-Education and UNICEF research disobedience. The outcome is that the education
concluded how students are struggling to deal with system is not preparing students for the job market,
the challenges of the modern work force. providing them with either less useful skills or
The higher education continues to struggle in theoretical learnings they have to unlearn when
modern teaching methodologies or changing they join the labor force.
curriculum preferences in accordance with the Education Expert, KII
technological advancements, which is a major Youth need to have the right education and skills to
hurdle in bridging the industry-academia gap. play their role (choosing the right field). Education is
The Next Generation survey shows that young not giving them the right knowledge and skills. You
people are aware of and concerned about this issue, need to be more creative in terms of providing
with the majority agreeing that the education opportunities to youth in terms of skill set to help in
system does not provide the knowledge and skills their practical life. It is still very academic and book
needed for the modern age. oriented, and they need more realistic/practical
learning rather than traditional methods. We have
Our education system does not provide the started concept of open schools. Access to
knowledge and skills needed for jobs in the 21st
Century creatively structured programs is important.
The Next Generation survey shows that young
T2B (Agree) 58
people are also critical of education provision in
B2B (Disagree) 17 Pakistan. Overall 55% believe that university curric-
ula is outdated and lacks innovation. This increases
The views of respondents on the education system to 77% among those who have received a technical
of the country reflect their disappointment and diploma/certificate, 64% for graduates and 65% for
frustration. The vast gap between the institutes and post-graduates.
industry is a major source of discontentment, with The public sector education has received particular
millions of graduates lacking employability not just criticism, with half of respondents calling it severely
because of lack of opportunities, but because the dysfunctional.
higher education system has failed to adapt and
innovate to the requirements of the current job
market.
A Broken Education System
Several experts interviewed for this study observed
that institutions pay too much attention to
non-practical and theoretical aspects, instead of
providing relevant knowledge and skills, or even
56 “Gender Inequality in Education”. Dr. Muhammad Abdul Kamal. Pakistan Today. Feb 2022. https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/02/
27/gender-inequality-in-education/

University curricula is University curricula is
badly outdated and badly outdated and
lacks innovation lacks innovation
Q. What requires the greatest improvement
Base:3446 Base:3446
in our Education System?
55 52 Base: 3446
20 26
Agree Disagree Agree Disagree
Male Respondent, 24-34, Peshawar Rural

I have 3 kids and I have admitted 2 of them in a
private school and it cost me 4000 PKR. A few
months passed by and my financial state got worse
and I had to make them leave the school and admit-
ted them to a government school, and in there, the
teachers would never come and they would be
absent all the time.
The highest rate of criticism came from the more

educated, as well as Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Provincially, the sentiment was most pronounced in
Baltistan and Islamabad, which have higher literacy Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as
rates than the national average. This is a dire finding, middle/upper middle class segments.
as the greatest levels of discontentment from the The problem of inclusivity was also identified as a
education system appear to come from those that crucial issue, with teachers unable to cater to the
have experienced it fully. demands of students from minority groups or
The pandemic further exposed the gap between special needs. The lack of adaptability from educa-
students on technology and infrastructure, with tors may create further barriers to adequate educa-
many not able to attend classes due to poor tion, especially from those that are disadvantaged
connectivity. However, an additional adversity was from social, mental or physical aspects.
that many of these students relied on freelance
online work, which they could only do in universities Teachers are ill equipped to deal with children
belonging to religious minorities and PWDs
as they had internet facilities. With their closure, Base: 3446
students were deprived of their learning and their
51
earning.
Teaching Quality 21
When asked what aspects of the education system
most need improvement, the quality of teaching is T2B (Agree) B2B (Disagree)
most often mentioned by the young people
surveyed. Hindu Male Respondent, 24-34, Karachi
There is religious biasness in Pakistan, as teachers
are not trained to not be biased towards Hindus
kids…My kid’s teacher came and asked me “Are you
the parent of the Hindu student? Let’s see how it
feels teaching Hindu children”. The school didn’t
have any Hindu students, no curriculum or plan to
teach Hindu children.

E3: Effects
The previous sections reflect how young Pakistanis explored to learn new skills to compensate for the
have been severely let down by status quo enforc- deficiencies in the education system. It has also
ing institutions. They unwillingness to change and opened new doors to e-commerce and freelance
adapt to the needs of youth today, as well as their work, which is increasingly being preferred in lieu of
dependency on existing obsolete systems of learn- traditional workspaces. Finally, the online space has
ing and employment, have left them bereft and in ushered a new era of civic and political activism.
need of other solutions. However, these effects are not all positive. The
Crises may be adverse, but they also contain within digital landscape has also become a cautionary tale,
them new possibilities and opportunities. This as social media is encouraging the development of
frustration has forced young people to look for the echo chambers, filter bubbles and extremist behav-
answers themselves, and create new avenues and ior, which is creating further wedges in society. This
spaces for learning, work and expression. section explores the adverse consequences of this
This section outlines the key methods through which phenomenon, and how it threatens the future of
young people have attempted to inculcate change young minds.
for themselves. The most prominent vehicle for this
has been the online space, which is now being
Learning to Earn: Digital Enhancement • Seven in ten respondents are in favor of

and Skill Development non-traditional technical and skill based
education over formal education systems
Key Takeaways • Seven in ten respondents consider that online
• Young people are increasingly preferring learning is critical for young people to boost
digital/technological skills and problem solving skills they can utilise for their professional work
skills over traditional skills like math and literacy

Instead of relying solely on traditional systems of would like to see more focus on problem solving
empowerment, the study results show that young skills, with 40% saying that this is the most important
people are now investing their time and efforts to skill needed for employment these days. This is
find solutions on their own. The main avenue for this followed by digital and technological skills (27%),
is the online space. Young netizens have communication skills (25%) and creativity (24%)
increasingly begun seeking out ways to develop which are mentioned as most important by around a
their skills, network, and find new opportunities, quarter of young people each. It seems important
through the online media landscape. therefore, that at all stages of education, that such
Maths and literacy skills are traditionally the topics are introduced to help keep students
foundation of education in Pakistan. While it is engaged.
clearly important that people have such skills, the
Next Generation survey suggests that young people
General Skills most important for Employment

Base: 3446
These findings challenge our assumptions in terms marketing, online courses...Khan academy is good
of assessing what young Pakistanis think will for learning. YouTube helps in learning as well so one
improve their prospects. Importantly, it also signals can self-learn.
the start of increasing agency in skill and knowledge Youth education expert, KII
acquisition. Several young people interviewed The more skills you have, the better you can be at
during the course of the project mentioned how life. With the IT boom, kids are also learning. There’s
they are using all kinds of resources to learn new not a single kid I meet who doesn’t say “I am a
skills. content writer”. Everyone is a content writer. Many
Female Respondent, 24-34, Islamabad Urban kids on campuses are saying they are helping others
SEC AB with freelance work.
Skills are more important these days like digital

At the geographic level, Sindh and KP respondents skills (24% for females vs. 20% for males). The
are seen to prioritise problem solving skills more, emphasis on modern skills corroborates the
while Punjab and AJK prioritise digital skills more. findings of the Skill Development report by the
Importantly, students educated at religious British Council, which identified IT and computation-
institutes, as well as students from private institutes, al skills as a gap between the requirements of the
are more in favour of digital skills, more than the industry and the priorities of skill institutes.
national average. Religiously educated youth are The young people surveyed also felt that technical
also more inclined towards learning communication education should be prioritised over formal educa-
skills. tion. Male respondents were more in favor of this
The gender break-up also reveals some important than females. Additionally, two-thirds (64%) respon-
insights. While both male and female respondents dents also stated it was more important for them to
tended to gravitate towards the same skills, the pursue a career than to complete their education.
former gave greater preference to digital and tech- These views suggest that suggest that young
nological skills (29% for males vs. 24% for females), people are finding Pakistan’s tertiary learning
and the latter prioritised problem solving skills more system is of limited utility and impractical, and are
(44% for females vs. 37% for males). Young women inclined towards more pragmatic knowledge and
also showed higher priority towards networking skill enhancement.
Technical education is more need of the hour than the formal education
Base:3446
75
72
69
68
Overall Male Female Transgender
In the qualitative research, many young people men-

It's more important for me to pursue a career than tioned the different kinds of resources they are
to complete my education using to learn new skills, with a particular focus on
T2B (Agree) 64 online sources, with video streaming platforms like
Youtube and Facebook receiving much attention.
B2B (Disagree) 18
SEC AB
In light of the negative views many young people
Skills are more important these days like digital
hold regarding the education offering in Pakistan as
marketing, online courses...Khan academy is good
discussed in the previous section and the desire to
for learning. YouTube helps in learning as well so
acquire skills that are perhaps not being taught in
one can self-learn.
schools and universities, young people are seeking
out other avenues for themselves.

Youth education expert, KII Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad. But this
The more skills you have, the better you can be at demand exists among all segments surveyed.
life. With the IT boom, kids are also learning. There’s
not a single kid I meet who doesn’t say “I am a Online learning can provide me with the skills
content writer”. Everyone is a content writer. Many needed for future work
kids on campuses are saying they are helping others T2B (Agree) 71
with freelance work. B2B (Disagree) 12
The survey data supports this with 71% agreeing
that online learning can provide them with skills This is partially attributable to the rise in 3G/4G
needed for future work. This sentiment was connectivity and in part due the pandemic upending
particularly high among the private educated, and traditional learning sources such as libraries.
more affluent classes, as well as the more
well-educated regions of Gilgit Baltistan, Azad
Online learning can provide me with the skills needed for future work
Base: Socioeconomic classification & Provincial breakdown
A New World ofOpportunities: The patterns of online learning reflect a key aspect
E-Professionalism, E-Commerce and of Next Generation Pakistan: They are becoming
Youth increasingly independent and driven, as well as
enterprising.
Key Takeaways The digital economy is creating more opportunities
• The majority of youth are interested in starting for young entrepreneurs, including the evolution of
their own business within the next 5 years FinTechs and digital finance57. The potential for this
• Over half of the respondents see online is enormous. According to a report by Strategic
freelancing as a viable option and have an Economics firm AlphaBeta, Pakistan’s digital
understanding of digital e-commerce platforms transformation can unlock upto 60 billion dollars in
• Women are being seen as the major beneficia economic value by 203058. The digital startup
ries of e-commerce by helping to bypass eco-system is on track to raise over 230 million
restrictions preventing them from traditional dollars, while IT and IT enabled services accounted
employment for USD 2.1 billion in 2021, growing at over 15
percent per annum since 2010.

value by 2030. The digital startup eco-system is on (by a factor of over three times) than females 61.
track to raise over 230 million dollars, while IT and IT Entrepreneurship
enabled services accounted for USD 2.1 billion in Far from the perceived risk aversion towards the
2021, growing at over 15 percent per annum since challenging and risky, young Pakistanis are opting
2010. for starting something of their own rather than
Digital users are also developing a variety of ICT being part of the traditional workforce. Our survey
skills including programming, learning and results show that nearly half of all respondents
connectivity with others. AlphaBeta estimates that (49%) are interested in starting their own business
Pakistan can harness its potential through within the next five years.
investment in eight key technologies, including Of these, the more interested respondents were
mobile internet, FinTech, AI and cloud computing. more likely to be male, living in urban and peri urban
Positive indicators are emerging, particularly in the areas, internet users, and literate. Geographically,
Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) and digital Islamabad and Azad Jammu and Kashmir showed
sectors. The World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business the most enthusiasm for starting their own
report has moved Pakistan’s rank from 136 in 2019 businesses. Cross analysing the data shows that
to 108 in 2020, showing an improvement of 28 those who are more interested in building their own
places59. The SME sector has grown significantly in also felt more optimistic about the future of
this time period, from 3.1 million SME businesses to Pakistan, and had more trust in the political system
over 5 million by 202160, largely spurred by the of the country.
tech sector. The emergence of the digital economy,
spearheaded by e-commerce unicorns (worth $1 Education
Institute Education
billion dollars) such as Daraz.pk, Careem¸ and
Zameen.com have shown the successes of Pakistani Private Public
Total Institute Institute Illiterate
entrepreneurs on the global stage.
Q68.How interested are you in starting your own business
However, the ability to avail these opportunities within the next 5 years?
depends on access and attention. A study by Shair Base:All respondents 3411 430 1755 520
et al. demonstrated major variations in ICT skills at T2B (Interested) 49 56 51 33

three levels. The first level is area, urban B2B /(Not interested) 34 30 32 50
respondents were three times more likely to

Q68.How interested are you in starting your own Non-
possess these skills than rural participants. The business within the next 5 years? Internet Internet
second level is education, where higher education Base:All respondents 3411 1843 1242
(graduate/post graduate) students were much well T2B (Interested) 49 59 40

acquainted with these skills than those at secondary B2B (Not interested) 34 25 43
or primary level. The third level is gender, where
male respondents were far better skilled at ICT
related tasks such as email and using the internet
57
“Pakistan Development Update: Financing the Real Economy”. World Bank 2022 https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/410d050
6bba8afc6fd9d9541148bfe4d-0310062022/original/PDU-April-2022-April18-ForWEB-Final.pdf
58
“Unlocking Pakistan’s Digital Potential: The Economic Opportunities Of Digital Transformation And Google’s Contribution”. AlphaBeta
Strategy. 2021 https://alphabeta.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/pakistan-digital-transformation.pdf
59
“Ease of Doing Business Reforms – Pakistan”. State Bank of Pakistan. 2020 https://www.sbp.org.pk/FS/Ease/Ease-r.htm
60
“Promoting Technology-driven Entrepreneurship in Pakistan”. Pakistan Today. 2022 https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/04/08
/promoting-technology-driven-entrepreneurship-in-pakistan/
61
Shair, W. Waheed, A. Kamran, M.M. Kubra, N. "Digital Divide in Pakistan: Barriers to ICT Usage Among the Individuals of Pakistan". Journal
of Economic Impact. 2022.

Online Employment
Young Pakistanis are looking to the internet as their
In the future, the internet will be the
key source of employment. Several examples of predominant source of employment’
young people finding their own ways and means to Base: 3446
68
earn through online resources were given in the
qualitative research.
13
My son asked me for a laptop to earn money online.
T2B (Agree) B2B (Disagree)
He mentioned he will pay back from online earning in
6 months. Children nowadays are so aware of the
opportunities online.
Young people in the FGDS gave examples of using
There is Improved understanding on Digital platforms
videos by influencers and others to acquire skill (amazon daraz) market places (OLX) & gig economy
development, and then employing those skills to platforms (Bykea) :
acquire business through freelance work. One T2B (Agree) 54
B2B (Disagree) 20
participant mentioned how she learned to stitch
using Youtube videos, and then began a freelance Online freelancing is seen as a viable path by the youth
clothing business on Facebook. Another mentioned nowadays :
how their cook used Whatsapp statuses to become T2B Agree 59
B2B Disagree 15
a food vlogger.
Male Respondent, 16-34, Peshawar Rural SEC CD Entrepreneurs are also developing a support
I use Facebook and twitter mainly but I’ve started structure within their ecosystem. One subject
using TikTok as well. Social Media helps us find matter expert who has worked with several tech
different opportunities like WhatsApp and messenger incubators makes the point that such institutions
groups are really helpful for spreading information have helped to create centers for learning and
around. We’ve also watched freelancing videos in facilitation to compensate for the lack of support
order to learn about it and make benefit out of it. Our that traditional institutions like family, education or
digital literacy is high as we can operate almost all the state have failed to provide. This has also
the applications and we know our way around it. ushered in a new environment where entrepreneurs
The survey affirmed these accounts, with nearly 7 in were engaging and accepting each other regardless
10 young Pakistanis agreeing that the internet will of their background, enhancing social and religious
be the predominant source of employment in the pluralism, and where women who were not allowed
future, while 59% consider online freelancing as a to work outside home were engaging in
viable path for young people. The explosion of tech e-commerce businesses from their house and
start-ups and freelance/gig economy based generating economic wellbeing for themselves and
companies in the last few years have a major role to their homes to the surprise of many.
play in helping push this new form of work to the Tech/Entrepreneur expert, KII
mainstream. Young people lack support at home…so many in the
entrepreneur community support as an
alternative…Incubators have people of all religions
and we found they understood each other and that
bond has gotten stronger with time, and led to more
tolerance.
62
“Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above) – Pakistan”. The World Bank. 2021
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.LITR.MA.ZS?locations=PK

Women and E-Commerce
A pattern emerging from the research is how the Women can use the internet to avail
new economic opportunities
internet is becoming an equalizer for women. As Base:3446
68
noted in the previous section, there are big
economic disparities between men and women on
employment. One of the key reasons for this is 13
literacy. According to World Bank data on Pakistan,
only 46.5% of women as opposed to 71% of men, T2B (Agree) B2B (Disagree)
are literate62 which clearly limits employment
opportunities for women. . Among those who do I believe that women are seen as major
work, the majority (73%) are in in labour intensive beneficiaries of ecommerce due to the choice of
sectors such as fishing, agriculture and forestry, work from home :
while only 7.5% of working women are involved in
T2B (Agree) 62%
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)
sectors. Employment and labour retention of B2B (Disagree) 14%
women is also challenged by traditional attitudes
towards the role of women in society and family and Discourse and Discord: Expression,
with workplaces being hostile environments for Engagement and Polarization
women. It is clear that multiple barriers to women’s
employment and future prospects in reaching their Key Takeaways
full potential. • Three in five young people use the internet, prac
Female Respondent, 24-34 Islamabad Urban tically all of them use social media as well
Being a doctor, I see my patients online, I’m aware • Television (57%) is the most popular information
now more with the advent of technology as I can now source consumed by young people, while
help with my kids upbringing better in a post covid Facebook is the fourth highest (20%)
world. • Online platforms are severely distrusted by
Female Respondent, 24-34 Islamabad Urban non-internet users
Women who were not allowed to go out for jobs even • Nearly half of all respondents regularly post on
they are earning now sitting at homes. political issues on social media, and over half
The survey results indicate how strong this have regular discussions with their friends on
sentiment is, with 68% of respondents stating that political issues
women can use the internet to avail new economic • Approximately three in five participants believe
opportunities, while 62% agree that women will be online civic and political activism will change
the major beneficiaries of e-commerce. As Pakistan
expected, the more literate and internet savvy • The majority of Pakistani youngsters see
segments of society are in favour of this, and themselves as playing an active role in mitigating
importantly both men and women are equally climate change
supportive. There is some expected resistance to • Internet users are increasingly politically and
this notion, with youth educated from religious socially polarized, and have seen material
institutions considerably lower in their support (39% targeting their communities and ideologies on
vs. 68% nationally). Despite this, the online social media
marketplace is being seen as beneficial for women
by the majority of youth.
63
“DIGITAL 2022: PAKISTAN”. Data Reportal. 2022 https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2022-pakistan
64
“Telecom Indicators”. Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. 2022 https://www.pta.gov.pk/en/telecom-indicators

Pakistan is fast becoming one of the world’s biggest population according to the Pakistan
online communities. According to Kepios data, Telecommunications Authority (PTA) . 64
internet users in Pakistan have increased a further While data on age group disaggregation for internet
22 million (+36%) between 2021 and 202263, while users is not publicly available, one can infer some
the number of social media users has risen to 71 conclusions from indirect sources. For instance,
million. Internet usage is increasingly moving from Meta’s ad data, that shows the majority of social
laptops/desktops to mobile phones, with 3G/4G media users are men between the ages of 18 and
subscribers comprising 114 million or 52% of the 34.
Telenor conducted a multi-country survey of youth Q38.Please tell me, do you use internet?
internet usage with Plan International in 2021, which Base:All respondents
also included participants from Pakistan65. 17
Yes 60
percent of Pakistani youngsters said they use the No 40
internet all the time – from waking up till bedtime.
A survey by Kantar also revealed a pattern on inter-
Internet users in Pakistan seem to have a distinct
net users, whereby males (69%), Gen Z individuals persona. They are more likely to live in urban areas,
(67% of 15-24 year olds and 57% of 25-34 year are educated, to currently be studying (82%) and to
olds) and employed individuals (63%) are more likely
be self-employed/entrepreneurs (84%) have the
to use the internet66. highest rates of internet usage Of note, there is a
The British Council survey results corroborated large gap between men and women, with 73% of
these studies, with its own findings showing that
men saying they use the internet but only
approximately 60% of youth have access to the
internet.

47% of women. This can possibly be attributed to Total Private Public Illiterate
Institute Institute
cultural barriers and restrictions, as well as
education levels. Q38.Do you use internet?
Yes 95 97 95 81
Total Private Public Illiterate No 5 3 5 19
Institute Institute
Q38.Do you use internet?

While traditional sources of information continue to
maintain the ascendancy, social media is now also
Yes 60 86 62 15
No 40 14 38 85
among the most often used sources. Television
(57%) and family (52%) are most frequently
Social Media and Information identified, but Facebook ranks fourth with 20%
Nearly all - 95% - internet users in say that they use saying it is one of the main sources of information,
social media, indicating that internet usage and placing it slightly ahead of religious leaders (18%).
social media usage have become synonymous with
each other.
Young people belonging to nuclear families are far men (30% vs. 11% for women) reflecting
more inclined towards television in comparison to disproportionate internet use. Youth educated at
joint families. Facebook is being used more by the religious institutes were far more likely to cite family
privately educated (34%), 16 to 24 year olds, and as an information source (74%) as are women (61%).
65
“Youths call for continued guidance to tackle online bullying amid increased internet use”. Telenor. 2021
https://www.telenor.com/media/announcement/youths-call-for-continued-guidance-to-tackle-online-bullying-amid-increased-internet-use/
66
“Pakistan’s journey to digital”. Google South Asia. 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mlSvA7MyWo

Trust in information systems is directly linked to sentiment. Younger political activists are in the
their usage: the more familiar one is with an ascendance and there is greater demand for
information source, the more trustworthy it is legitimacy of their activism. PILDAT’s Youth Opinion
considered. Survey in April 2022 showed that over 81% of
participants were in favor of restoring student
Those who do not use the internet have very low unions in public and private universities68, which
levels of trust in online sources of information. For remain banned since 1984 by the then military
instance, only 16% of non-internet users consider regime to stop political activism on campuses.
Facebook trustworthy vs. 48% of internet users. The Political parties have helped to bypass these
same sentiment is also observed for online news constrictions by directly reaching out to younger
aggregators, which are found trustworthy by only followers via social media.
19% of non-internet users vs. 40% of internet users.
While healthy scepticism among young people may The results are somewhat mixed. According to a
been seen as positive, uninformed scepticism, multi-decade survey by Gallup Pakistan, voter
particularly towards new technologies, can be turnout for Pakistanis aged between 18 and 29 has
dangerous and resistant to innovation and change hovered around 25-30%, while showing a marginal
which is necessary for the transformation of youth. increase to 37% in the 2018 elections (compared to
53% nationally)69. On the other hand, political
Non-
Internet internet activism outside of voting has rarely been higher.
Facebook 3117 users users Twitter and Facebook have become major political
T2B (Trustworthy) 35 48 16 battlegrounds, largely fuelled by the accounts of
B2B (Not trustworthy) 43 31 60 political parties and their members, and their
younger, more engaging followers.
Political and Civic Engagement The survey results show a high level of political
Political and civic expression has gone through a engagement on social media. Nearly half of social
major renaissance in the last decade. The media users state they regularly post on political
emergence of the youth bulge, coupled with the rise issues on their accounts. Of note, those who use the
of social media has vastly changed the playing field internet say they regularly talk about political issues
for social and political engagement. These with their friends (67%) more often the national
accelerants have just reinforced the need for youth youth average (57%). This may in part be due to
to be more engaged in politics, and in a way more profile of internet users (more likely to be men,
meaningful than a vote bank. The traditional educated, studying, employed) who are all more
dynastically run political parties have lost favor with likely to discuss politics with friends anyway, but
the younger generation, which is looking for perhaps also points to how social media can be
change67. The rise of Imran Khan’s Pakistan used to engage people in politics. This of course
Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) as the country’s largest needs to be done in a responsible way and not
political party is partially attributed to this further the reach of extremist views.
67
Arab News. “Imran Khan’s anti-American campaign has strengthened his populist base”. 2022 https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2078336
68
Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development & Transparency. “Youth overwhelmingly support democracy, despite weaknesses: Youth
Parliament Pakistan launches its first edition of the ‘Voice of Youth’ series”. 2022 https://pildat.org/youth1/youth-overwhelmingly-
support-democracy-despite-weaknesses-youth-parliament-pakistan-launches-its-first-edition-of-the-voice-of-youth-series
69
Gallup Pakistan. “Youth Voter Turnout- Empirical Analysis of Elections in Pakistan”. 2021 https://gallup.com.pk/wp/wp-content/
uploads/2021/12/Youth-Voting.pdf

I regularly post on political issues
on my social media accounts
Base: 3446
A key issue identified in this study was climate
45 change and how young Pakistanis are responding to
it. Outside of belief in the existence of climate
30
change, the key challenge globally has been to
invoke action on mitigating and adapting to its
effects.
Another arena in which increased internet and
social media use could be beneficial is encouraging
T2B (Agree) B2B(Disagree)
young people to take action in relation to climate
change. An Ipsos poll conducted in 202171 in 27
countries found that a fifth of the participants under
My friends and I regularly talk Internet 35 believed it was “too late to fix climate change”,
about political issues: users while 66% were fatalistic about reducing
T2B (Agree) 57 66 greenhouse gas emissions to an acceptable level.
B2B (Disagree) 21 15 However, in the Next Gen survey, when asked if they
believed they could play an active role in mitigating
The internet is increasingly being seen as an climate change, 56% of young people overall
amplifier to elevate voices that were previously agreed that they could. This increases to 63% of
hidden or ignored in public discourse. Indeed over internet users which perhaps indicates that online
half of both internet (58%) and non-internet users information sources can help to educate young
(56%) believe that online political and civic activism people about actions they can take in the fight
will help change the country. In recent years, against climate change.
examples of how social media and online news The survey results from our study show that young
sources have been a force for good include Pakistanis are seeing themselves as agents of
highlighting women’s rights, the plight of the Hazara change on climate change. The issue of climate
community in Balochistan, and extrajudicial killings. change has never come to the forefront the way it
These are issues that have not been addressed by did in 2022 with the devastation of the floods, and
mainstream and traditional media in the same way. A has led to a major social awakening on the
report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan phenomenon and what needs to be done to tackle
suggests that “social media have been instrumental it.
in mobilisations in the face of widespread
I believe that I can play an active Non
censorship in mainstream media”, as well as role as a citizen in mitigating Internet internet
becoming “an avenue of accountability of climate change: users users
authorities whose presence on these platforms can T2B (Agree) 56 63 48
be leveraged to elicit responses in times of crisis or B2B (Disagree) 20 15 27
repression”70. Increasing online usage, therefore, However, this activism requires activation. While
among all groups in society could be and effective young people intend to play a role as opinion
mechanisms for increasing social mobilisation and leaders on the issue of climate change, they need to
engagement. participate directly. The Global Youth Letter report
Non from the British Council in 2021 highlighted that
Online political and civic activism will Internet internet
help change Pakistan Overall users users
75% of young people state having the skills to deal
T2B (Agree) 56% 58% 56% with climate change, but 69% have never
B2B (Disagree) 17% 17% 17%
participated72.

Political Polarisation and Digital Conflict they are in conflict with their own, than do
Not all aspects of online engagement are as positive non-internet users (47%).
or constructive, however. Partially it is because of
digital media platforms, which prefer engagement The political ideology and party Non
over meaningful discourse. Francis Haugen’s that I support is the only one that Internet internet
can save Pakistan : users users
explosive testimony regarding Facebook’s role in
T2B (Agree) 56 65 45
stoking social divisions showed that the platform’s B2B (Disagree) 18 12 27
“machine learning models that maximize
engagement also favor controversy, misinformation, I do not accept the political Non-
choices and views of others if Internet internet
and extremism: put simply, people just like
they are in conflict with mine. : users users
outrageous stuff”73. Using disinformation T2B (Agree) 52 57 47
campaigns and targeted attacks against individuals B2B (Disagree) 25 23 30
have become a cornerstone of digital politics, and
young “keyboard warriors” have become their most The rampant spread of hate material and extremist
crucial tools. Social and political polarisation is content online that targets marginalized
inevitable. communities and incites hatred against other
Online media in Pakistan has also become a hotbed groups is also a source of concern
of controversy. Political parties and their social Female Respondent, Shia, 16-24, Karachi
media wings have become increasingly more hostile If Muharram starts, our own friends start posting
towards each other, creating friction and quotations on social media claiming that this is not
polarisation on political lines in a way rarely seen the religion of our Prophet.
before. Vulnerable social segments are also being Six in ten of internet users in the Next Generation
targeted on social media. A report by Bytes4All survey report seeing material that targets their
notes that “the issue of online blasphemy community on social media platforms (61%), with
accusations and campaigns continued to spiral out similar proportions saying that they have seen
of control, with social media users able to target material that is intolerant of their social and political
anyone with near complete impunity. Most online views (64% and 63% respectively).
cases targeted minorities, members of the media or This could on the one hand reflect the growing
those teaching/studying in educational polarisation in Pakistani society and how young
institutions.”74 people are adversely affected by it. Another way of
The survey results do suggest that young internet interpreting the findings is that the perception of
users in Pakistan are more divided or extreme in young people is becoming increasingly binary, with
their political views. Two thirds of internet users little patience for diverse political and social views.
(65%) agree that the political ideology and party Hence any difference of opinion is seen as
that they support is the only one that can save intolerant. In either case, the atmosphere for
Pakistan, which is significantly higher than among diversity and inclusion is at risk of being threatened
non-internet users (45%). A greater proportion of by divisive online expression, of which youth
internet users (57%) also say that they do not constitute a major part.
accept the political choices and views of others if
70
“Mapping Social Movements in Pakistan”. HRCP. 2022. Pg. 20
71“
Climate fatalism grips young people worldwide while the urgency for solution-oriented media grows”. IPSOS. Nov 2021.
https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/climate-fatalism-grips-young-people-worldwide-while-urgency-solution-oriented-media-grows
72
“Global Youth Letter on Climate Action”. British Council. 2021. https://www.britishcouncil.org/ climate-connection/get-involved/global
-youth-letter/climate-action?__hstc=228432002.78b6c 136bf295e36b68edea6a60ec2fa.1669362159334.1674394865783.1674
394865789.17&__hssc=228 432002.1.1674394865789&__hsfp=1389098529&_ga=2.123041160.247604736.1674381399-7474
57407.1668767862&_gl=1*pipzs6*_ga*NzQ3NDU3NDA3LjE2Njg3Njc4NjI.*_ga_X5M3D7HLQQ*MTY3ND
M5Mzk0OC4yMi4xLjE2NzQzOTQ4NjIuMC4wLjA

Six in ten of internet users in the Next Generation interpreting the findings is that the perception of
survey report seeing material that targets their young people is becoming increasingly binary, with
community on social media platforms (61%), with little patience for diverse political and social views.
similar proportions saying that they have seen Hence any difference of opinion is seen as
material that is intolerant of their social and political intolerant. In either case, the atmosphere for
views (64% and 63% respectively). diversity and inclusion is at risk of being threatened
This could on the one hand reflect the growing by divisive online expression, of which youth
polarisation in Pakistani society and how young constitute a major part.
people are adversely affected by it. Another way of
'I have seen that material/content that targets my community on social media
(Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp)' :
T2B (Agree) 61
B2B (Disagree) 17
'I have often seen content on social media (Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp) that is
intolerant of my social views' :
T2B (Agree) 64
B2B (Disagree) 14
'I have often seen content on social media (Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp) that is
intolerant of my political views' :
T2B (Agree) 54 63
B2B (Disagree) 22 15

E4: Enablers
It would be simplistic to assume that the young- not represent their interests, or fail to provide them
sters of Pakistan is empowered to be a force for with the support that is needed. These institutions
change through sheer willpower. If this report has are key to the next generation reaching their
showed anything, it is that young people feel potential. This section discusses the two institu-
challenged at various times in their development, tions central to this process: politics/governance,
held back by social and political institutions that do and education.
The Case for Change: Political 18th Amendment, policymaking regarding youth is
Engagement and Policymaking for the responsibility of the provincial governments.
Young People PILDAT performed a detailed analysis of provincial
policies in 2020 with some important revelations75.
Key Takeaways Firstly, there is no Minister dedicated to Youth
• The majority of respondents feel their voices are Affairs other than Punjab. Secondly, policies are
not being heard by the country’s leadership announced in the form of endowment funds and
• Participants showed low direct participation in public-private partnerships, but no concrete action
the political process, with only 10% stating they plan is suggested, nor any implementation strate-
voted in the last year gies formulated (for instance policies are devised on
• Political participation, engagement and active job creation for youth but stop short of suggesting
say in policymaking is a key demand of young how it will be done).
Pakistanis While political parties have been heavily investing in
youth, it is mainly limited to propagation and advo-
The role of governance in mismanaging the affairs cacy rather than representation.The social media
of the country has been dissected in multiple analy- wings of parties are primarily composed of techno-
ses and studies, but a specific focus on the lack of logically savvy youth that are mainly involved in
enfranchisement for young citizens is needed. Post political messaging and trending in the online space.

The vast presence and activity of these groups can Q45.Which of the following political
mislead commentators to believe that young people activities have you taken part in, in the
are more engaged and empowered in politics than last 12 months?
before. However, our survey results indicate the
opposite: young Pakistanis feel extremely Base:All respondents 3446
underrepresented in policymaking, and that their
concerns are really not being taken seriously, with Voting in local/national elections 10%
only 8% saying that the voices of young people are
heard and actioned to some degree. Attending a political rally 7%
Do you think the voices of young people Taking part in a protest/demonstration 6%

on national issues are being heard in your
country?
Attend a discussion on local/national issues 8%

Provincial elections 8%
Listened to but no action 29%

local body elections 9%
Not being heard at all 33% Young people in the FGDs and youth experts
interviewed made a range of suggestions on policies
Heard to very little extent 20% and actions that are needed to help young people and
Pakistan in general to progress. This includes very
Heard but little action 10% specific actions such as making it easier to open a
bank account as a freelancer (as seen earlier this a
popular employment route among young people) and
Heard well with some action 6%
access to finance to set up business to broader needs
around infrastructure development to provide access
Heard and significant action 2%
to digital and technological facilities to all people and
regions. Policies and actions if taken can support
While governments have focused on some flagship youth enterprise and e commerce.
youth policies (e.g. Kamyab Jawan program, Youth Youth education expert, KII
Laptop scheme), it seems that young people are There are things the government wants to do for kids,
used as a tool for political parties to gain favour but there’s a lot of loopholes. When you are just
though policies that are then not implemented, or freelancer, you can’t open a bank account. That makes
just excluded from the policy making process no sense. I know freelancers who run entire homes.
altogether. Male Respondent, 16-34, Peshawar Rural SEC CD
This has an effect on their participation in the political Our problem is that government takes initiatives and
process. The survey results show only 10% young makes ideal laws but no one makes sure to implement
citizens have voted in elections in the past 12 months those, the illegal things are still happening at the same
despite a flurry of by-elections in various parts of the pace and no one is scared of the law as government
country which were hotly contested and only 13% does not take any sort of action.
claim to have taken part in a protest or a political rally. Social Activist, KII
The majority - 68% say they have not participated in Policies have been very misguided. Connectivity is a
any of the political activities asked about. big issue. Students have no subsidized internet. Urban
areas have connectivity, but others don’t. Lack of
75 “Study of Youth Policies”. PILDAT. Sept 2020. development expenditure on this is a problem. The
https://pildat.org/youth1/a-study-of-youth-policies-in-pakistan
cost of internet is not in anyone’s reach

The route to do this perhaps lies in ensuring young However, the education system has failed in multiple
people have a genuine seat at the table with areas, which have been discussed at length in the
representatives will advocate for youth, with a move previous sections.
away from traditional political systems. In addition to issues around ghost schools, poor
The state’s role must exist as a facilitator at best, and facilities and limited access and the negative views
removing itself as an impediment at the very least. KIIs young people hold on the quality of education, the
refer to well intentioned but limited policies, and their respodents surveyed said they received little to no
solution is to provide support in youth career guidance from their educational institutes/
entrepreneurship and e-commerce. Critically, 83% of the respondents who said they
hadn’t received career guidance from their education
Innovation and Adaptation: Education institution were indecisive about what their future
Engagement for Youth Needs holds. On the other hand, of the students that did
receive career guidance, 83% of them said it was
Key Takeaways useful. They were also more likely to be optimistic
• Only one in four respondents stated receiving any about their future (83%), and more decisive (88%)
kind of career guidance from their educators and they were also more optimistic future (83%) and
• Young Pakistanis are demanding that education decisive (88%).
institutes adapt and innovate to the needs of the This is a major bulwark to positive activation of young
21st century student and young professional people, and more needs to be done on this front.
• Nine in ten young people believe that education
helps drive change in society, and eight in ten Have you ever received career guidance at
state that good education is integral for facing your last educational institution?
future challenges
‘ Yes 24%
The second key area that young people identify key
to their betterment is education. There is a near No 76%
unanimous view among youth that education is a
major enabler of social change.
Q64.How would you rate the career
Education helps drive change in society guidance you received at your last
T2B 87% educational institution?
B2B 5%
T2B Useful 83%
Good education can improve knowledge
B2B Not Useful 7%
and understanding of the world/ the way
things work
T2B 79% Educational institutes are in need of upgrading. This is
B2B 7% not just in terms of technological abilities, but also in
terms of updating their teaching approaches, allow-
Education gives the confidence to take on ing for innovation and inclusivity at all levels, and
challenging situations providing youth with the skills and learning that are
needed for today’s job environment, rather than
T2B Agree 82% teaching them outdated skills just to justify their own
presence. How the education system adapts to these
B2B Disagree 7% needs, is going to play a make-or-break role in the
future of the next generation.

Recommendations
Youth Participation in Policy and incubators will also help budding entrepreneurs
Decision Making tremendously.
• The policy priorities of young people, such as • Enhancing learning facilities and teaching
social justice, quality education, entrepreneurship, methods is key, particularly in new industries like
e-commerce and climate change, need to be information technology and online freelancing.
prioritised by government representatives. Educators need to constantly upgrade their
Avenues can be created for parliamentarians and knowledge to keep up with the latest trends in these
administrations to be more familiar with the sectors or encourage the inclusion of younger
diverse needs of young people for effective and academics who are more familiar with the
informed policymaking. requirements of the job market. Curriculum
• Policy makers should have access to research and upgradation is an area where the Higher Education
data that helps them to understand their young Commission and education ministries can play an
constituents especially marginalised groups i.e. active role.
young women, young people with disabilities, • Career counselling services must be
young religious minorities and transgenders. professionalized to meet the needs of the youth for
• A three-way engagement strategy should be growth and employment as per global standards. This
developed between policymakers (those with also means that educators must expand their
power at the state level), institutions (delivery understanding of the industry requirements, so they
sectors integral to youth interests), and young are able to help students on their career track
people. This will help to align the actions of effectively.
government with the priorities of young citizens • Co-curricular activities including sports, culture
across all sectors, reduce inequality at policy and performing arts, creative industries, literature
stage, and youth-centric policies on education, and heritage awareness should be amplified within
employment, engagement can be developed. the educational institutions’ offer in addition to
• Engaging young people should be a sustained, l academics and qualifications. Such activities harness
ong-term approach in policy making. The youth potential and polish their creative and artistic
government and policy makers can reform abilities, also such initiatives provide young people
planning and implementation mechanisms in a way multiple career choices.
that youth engagement is a permanent • Transformational skills should be imparted from
feature of policy and decision making. early education stage to tertiary education. Life skills
education, understanding of global challenges
particularly climate change should be offered as
Education add-ons to students. Critical thinking, communication
• Access and quality of education not only need skills, adaptability, open mindedness, problem solving,
reforms but a thorough implementation plan, at all and conflict resolution are key transformational skills
levels. Piloting new ideas in identified geographies will required by the youth of Pakistan, leading to an
help expand successful initiatives at provincial and intellectually stimulated youth population who is able
national level, instead of trying one-fit-for-all to use their own skills in decisive manner.
approaches. • Students should be provided opportunities to
• Introducing practical learning over academic engage with local communities and take up
learning is becoming increasingly important, community volunteering or social action to
particularly in areas like entrepreneurship. Educators contribute meaningfully as active citizens. This will
should focus on creating opportunities for students help create a large workforce of young people who
to engage in practical application of their work or are empathetic and sensitive to local social issues
business ideas. Allying with public and private and play an active role in community development.

• Non-formal education and skill centers should be groups, young people need better awareness on
established for youth who have dropped out from such services and how to access them. Government
mainstream education. TVET sector needs reforms to and private sector should conduct awareness raising
upgrade existing qualifications and add new skills, campaigns, outreach drives at large scale to increase
especially digital and IT. accessibility and service delivery.
Civil Society and Media Gender and Social Inclusion

• CSOs and media can act as a conduit between
• An enabling environment is required to support
young citizens and policymakers, particularly on
more young women taking up professional leadership
social inclusion, political and civic engagement.
positions in public and private sectors. This
Aiding the development of young people as
environment should be supported by legislative and
advocates is important in this regard, as well as
practical measures.
creating well organised and inclusive platforms to
• Young people with disabilities, religious minority
communicate policy priorities of young people to the
youth and young transgenders are a key interest
implementation stage.
group in Pakistan, their inclusion in policy making and
implementation is critical. Inclusivity guidelines for
• Development organisations need to work with
policy making and implementation should be
communities to create resources for families in the
developed for policy makers and administration.
areas of mental health, gender and career guidance.
• There existing mechanisms for protection and
This will help to create a more youth-centric
safeguarding for vulnerable groups in Pakistan, the
approach to community wellbeing.
implementation needs to strengthened. Monitoring
and accountability measures for gauging
• Safe spaces for young people to seek support,
effectiveness need to be reviewed and improved so
advice and counselling are needed more than ever!
that vulnerable groups can use these mechanisms
CSOs and local stakeholders can create such spaces
and receive protective services.
which are trusted by youth at large and are equipped
with services needed by young people
Digital
Politics • As the internet is becoming more critical for
• While youth participation has been encouraged by
learning and economic opportunities, it is essential
political parties, it continues to focus purely on their
that infrastructure development be prioritised so that
use for message propagation and amplification on
young people from all walks of life, rural or urban, rich
social media. Young people desire more and wish to
or poor, have access to internet facilities.
have better representation for their interests at the
• Too much of internet usage is concentrated in
policy level. New forums can be created for policy
major urban centres. This needs to change.
input to come from young people directly.
Subsidising IT services for people from
• Avenues like the Young Parliamentarians Forum
disadvantaged areas or creating more public internet
can be mobilised to engage with youth from different
facilities will play a significant role.
segments of life to enhance their inclusion and
• Digital citizenship is a key subject area where all
participation in political activities. This can be done
stakeholders should be involved to define an ethical
through direct engagement, traditional or social
code and guidelines that protect right to freedom of
media.
expression, reduce or eliminate cybercrimes, bullying
Health and Wellbeing and harassment and promote sensible use of internet
• Access to health and wellbeing services needs and social media.
special attention particularly for vulnerable youth

Young People themselves by engaging in dialogues, advocacy
• New advocacy groups working on emerging campaigns and local programmes by suggesting
issues such as climate change need to be solutions and taking real time actions
empowered to engage young people and create a • Young people should exercise their right to elect
bridge between them and their representatives. their parliamentary representatives by casting their
• Young people should play an active role in vote and encourage others around them.
addressing the big challenges faced by Pakistan and

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ISBN: 000-0-00000-000-0
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Images in the report are intellectual property of British Council and Mr. Umar Farooq.
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Pakistan – The

Research Team Ipsos

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 3

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 4

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 5

Civic Engagement and Activism

Social and Political Polarisation

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 6

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 7

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 8

‘Youth Bulge in Pakistan: Bane or Boon?’ PIDE. 2022. https://pide.org.pk/research/youth-bulge-in-pakistan-bane-or-boon/

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 9

These sections will showcase the most important

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 10

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 11

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 12

Data Collection inferences of the study for youth engagement in the

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 13

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 14

Religious (e.g. Muslim. Paskitan

The separation of religion from nationalism is a

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 16

BEOE Statistics 2022. https://beoe.gov.pk/reports-and-statistics

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 17

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 18

Base:All respondents 3446 Base:All respondents 3088

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 19

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 20

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 22

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 23

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 24

My family and I have differing views when Base:All respondents 3446

My parents and I clash when it comes to

Some groups stand out as believing their views

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 25

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 26

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 27

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 28

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 29

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 30

From 2009 report T2B (Important) 89

B2B (Not important) 4

Additionally, issues of non-merit based

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 31

of 88 people29. The Center for Social Justice T2B (Agree) 56%

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 32

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 33

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 34

Statement: Floods are occurring due to climate change

This invites some comparisons with the 2021

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 35

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 36

Bereft of Opportunities: The Increasingly, the choices of young people are

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 37

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 38

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 39

The inability of women to have the same career

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 40

Pakistan – The Next Generation Report 2023 41