THIS is with reference to the report ‘PM showers incentives to entice expats’ (April 16), which detailed the compre-hensive welfare package announced by the prime minister for overseas Pakistanis, offering a range of incentives, including education and employment quotas, civil awards and various skill development opportunities.

The package included even a five-year age relaxation for male overseas job applicants and a seven-year relaxation for overseas women to apply for govern-ment jobs.

The package offering age relaxation for overseas Pakistanis and their children to access government jobs is a step in the right direction, and reflects a broader understanding within government circles of the relevant issues.

Pakistan, like several other countries, has a vibrant diaspora spread across the globe. This community plays a significant role in the country’s economy through remittances, investments, and global representation.

However, for the children of overseas Pakistanis, opportunities for securing government jobs back home were often limited. The age relaxation policy will ensure that these individuals will have a fair chance.

The government move can be a catalyst for strengthening the relationship between the youth abroad and the domestic job market. However, on the other hand, it is essential to ensure that this relaxation is not just limited to the children of overseas Pakistanis.

In fact, it should also be extended to the young in Pakistan who have also been facing similar challenges in securing employment.

As such, age relaxation could serve as a temporary, but a crucial solution to the rising unemployment in the country, especially considering the economic challenges brought about by inflation, and an overstretched public sector.

The government must ensure that jobs are offered in a transparent, merit-oriented manner, ensuring fairness for all applicants regardless of their resident or non-resident status.

Additionally, it should focus on creating more avenues for youth, such as increasing the number of internships, announcing vocational training programmes, and private-sector partnerships, to ensure that the age relaxation policy translates into real employment opportunities for one and all without any discrimination of any sort for or against anyone at all.

Muhammad Salim
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2025