ISLAMABAD, June 15: Some 48,000 postgraduates and 186,000 graduates form part of the 3.58 million jobless people in the country. This was revealed before the National Assembly by ministry of labour, manpower and overseas Pakistanis in response to questions by MNAs Maulana Ahmad Ghafoor Ghawas and Yasmeen Rehman.
The house was informed that unemployment had increased in the country during 2005 and the total number of jobless unemployed people now stood at 3.58 million. During 2004, the number of unemployed people was 3.51 million while the corresponding figures for 2003 showed there were 3.60 million jobless people.
The ministry in a written response placed before the house said the government was taking a number of steps for providing jobs to graduates and postgraduates, including accelerating economic growth, filling up vacant posts in government departments, self-employment through the SME Bank, enhancing overseas employment and development of the IT and Telecom Sectors. Moreover, the government through the Higher Education Commission had started subsistence allowance for unemployed postgraduates in the subjects of physics, chemistry, biology, pharmacy, mathematics, statistics, electronics, veterinary sciences and agriculture.
The subsistence figures ranged from Rs1,200 to Rs1,800 per month.
Explaining the reasons for increasing unemployment in the country, the ministry said high population growth, mismatch between demand and supply for manpower, shrinking of employment opportunities in the public sector, increasing capital intensity in all the major economic sectors and poor quality of skills were some of the factors responsible.
EOBI: In response to a question by MNA Mian Aslam, the ministry of labour, manpower and overseas Pakistanis revealed before the house that the government had invested worker’s pensions and old-age savings amounting to billions of rupees in the stock market.
The house was informed that Employees Old Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) had an investment portfolio of Rs95.58 billion. The ministry said EOBI earned Rs1.92 billion as profit from the stock market during the current financial year and paid Rs0.20 per share commission to the brokers. The EOBI paid Rs56.87 million profit to the brokers in 2004-05, Rs29.67 million in 2003-04 and Rs12.58 million 2002-03. The house was told that the EOBI did not suffer any loss during the current financial year.
TSUNAMI: In response to a question by MNA Akbar Chitrali, the house was informed that Pakistan spent Rs553 million for providing relief operations in the Tsunami-affected countries through the armed forces.
DTH SERVICE: In response to a question by MNA Shabir Ahmed Khan, the house was informed that the PTV Foundation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with M/S RG Communications to commission DTH service in Pakistan initially with 50 channels.
The total cost of capital expenditure is envisaged to be Rs1.5 billion and RG Communication would provide 100 per cent capital for installation and operations. The share of PRV would be in the shape of arranging licence and providing a building. The PTV would get 51 per cent net profit against its share.