By Areej Fatima
Despite internal chaos, high poverty and unemployment, gender and religious inequality, and limited access to education and healthcare, Pakistan faces many challenges. However, the country’s youth are working to catalyze positive change.
Striving to empower their country’s future, Pakistani youth are engaging politically and calling for reforms. Through activism, they demand greater transparency and accountability from the government, along with improved access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities, so that Pakistan may prosper.
Their participation in the democratic process is crucial in ensuring that the country’s future leaders are representative of the people they will be governing.
Youth voter participation in Pakistan has declined substantially in recent years. In the 2013 general election, only 36% of eligible voters aged 18-29 cast a ballot, a significant decrease from the 52% turnout among young people in the 2007 election. This troubling trend suggests growing political disengagement and apathy among Pakistani youth.
The declining engagement among young people can be attributed to several reasons. Chief among them is the perception of a political system that is corrupt and does not address the needs of everyday citizens. This perception fosters a dangerous sense of powerlessness and cynicism in youth.
The rise of social media and the internet is another factor behind declining youth political engagement. While these platforms give young people spaces to discuss and debate politics, they also enable the spread of misinformation and propaganda that can breed apathy and detachment from the political process among youth who feel their voices go unheard.
Pakistan has a very young population, with over 60% of its people under 30 years old. This demographic reality poses both challenges and opportunities. A large youth cohort can spur instability and unrest. However, if properly engaged, Pakistan’s youth also represent tremendous potential to power sustainable development.
Though Pakistan’s youth have tremendous potential to drive positive change, limited opportunities for employment, education, and political participation pose significant obstacles for this generation.
Empowering Pakistan’s youth is crucial for sustainable development, as investing in education and employment for young people can reduce poverty and insecurity while promoting social and economic growth. Furthermore, increasing youth involvement in decision-making will help ensure Pakistan’s development is fairer and more inclusive.
As Pakistan’s most valuable asset, its youth represent the key to a more prosperous and sustainable future for the country. Investing in the next generation will allow Pakistan to unlock their potential and build long-term national success.
Pakistan’s future hinges on youth engagement in politics. Without young people participating in the political process, the country cannot make the progress required to address its challenges. The government and civil society must therefore increase youth political engagement through avenues like expanding access to information, offering civic involvement opportunities, and leveraging social media to connect with youth.
While Pakistan faces serious challenges like poverty, terrorism, and corruption stemming from years of political turmoil, the country’s youth hold unique potential to help overcome these problems.
Youth engagement in politics is vital for democracy, as young people contribute fresh outlooks and vitality to the political process. More open than older adults to new concepts and approaches, youth represent the country’s future leaders; their early involvement in the political system allows them to gain valuable experience.
To increase political involvement among young people, we can take action on individual, community, and institutional levels.
At the individual level, young people can make a commitment to learn about the political process and to get involved in the issues that matter to them. They can also encourage their friends and peers to do the same.
At the community level, schools and youth organizations can provide opportunities for young people to learn about and participate in the political process. For example, schools can offer civics courses and student government organizations can give young people a chance to get involved in the decision-making process.
At the institutional level, political parties and the government can do more to engage with and listen to young people. For example, they can create youth wings within political parties and establish youth advisory councils at the local, provincial, and national levels.
Youth engagement in politics is vital for democracy, as it teaches young people the significance of civic participation and democratic ideals while empowering them to help shape Pakistan’s future.
Active youth involvement in politics is vital for good governance, as it enables young people’s perspectives to be represented and their needs addressed.
Young people can participate in the political process through several means, with voting as one of the most vital. Exercising their right to vote allows youth to make their voices heard and influence who holds office. As a fundamental privilege of citizenship, voting empowers young people to shape the political landscape.
Young people can get involved in politics by volunteering their time and skills to campaigns or organizations in various ways, such as distributing flyers, going door-to-door, or assisting with events. Volunteering offers an excellent opportunity to learn about the political process while making a meaningful impact.
Although it is up to young people to choose their own political involvement, active youth participation in governance is vital. It ensures their perspectives are represented and promotes good leadership.
The writer is a scholar at National Defence University.Â
