Dear Auntie Agni,
I am a fresh graduate and have started my job in a perfect position in a private company in Pakistan. Apart from that, I have also been preparing for the CSS and will be appearing in the exam next year. However, my parents and relatives are not happy with my decision to stay in Pakistan considering the economic circumstances.

I am of the opinion that I have to do something for the betterment of my country by staying here. But, according to them, staying in Pakistan is not a smart move now. If our house is not in a good condition then we should play a role to make it better instead of leaving the family and shifting somewhere else. Dear Auntie, what do you think? Should I deal with the problems of my country and attempt to make it a better nation for future generations, or should I just move abroad to make money like my parents want?
Noble Intentions

Dear Noble Intentions,
It was refreshing to read the letter of a young person taking a pause instead of packing his bags in a panic to leave in the face of an economic meltdown. However, before you decide whether to live in Pakistan or move abroad, you need to further define your dream of doing something for the betterment of your country.

‘Is it worth staying in Pakistan?’

It is great that you have a burning desire to improve the state of your country. The world needs more people like you who think beyond themselves. I urge you to nurture that flame and allow this noble sentiment to lead you in asking yourself what is that ‘something’ that you want to do. There is no dearth of causes that need your support here. Off the top of my head, there’s rampant illiteracy, there’s looming food insecurity (already hitting us and very likely to worsen) and a miserably inadequate healthcare system. Once you have clarity about where you want to focus (it doesn’t have to be the three that I just mentioned), you will be in a better position to decide whether you should stay here or move abroad.

Let’s take the example of education. With a whopping 22.8 million out-of-school children, personally, Auntie believes that that is one area that every Pakistani who has any level of privilege should contribute to. There are several factors that have contributed to the current state of the economy. Some of them, like the pandemic and a slowing down of the global economy, are not in our control. You don’t need to be a world-class economist to figure out that factors such as widespread illiteracy are one of the reasons the country is in the state it is in today.  Continuing with the example of education, someone who wants to contribute to this cause can do so whether they live in Pakistan or abroad.

From setting up educational institutions with money earned abroad to sending money online to their trusted charity, non-residents abroad can do a lot for the country from anywhere in the world. And, of course, you can contribute to the cause while continuing to live here. The only difference is that you can probably do a lot of the work in person. Living here you can probably easily find a couple of those 22.8 million children and enroll them in a good school. You can even go a step further and personally teach them to read and write. The possibilities are endless.

With the world being so connected, you don’t always need to be present in person to contribute. Think carefully about the difference you want to make and how you want to go about it. That will help you decide whether you want to live in Pakistan or move abroad. May you continue to be led by your desire to serve your country and may you succeed in achieving your noble intentions.

Disclaimer: If you or someone you know is in crisis and/or feeling suicidal, please go to your nearest emergency room and seek medical help immediately.

Auntie will not reply privately to any query. Please send concise queries to: auntieagni@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, EOS, February 5th, 2023