| Imagine you are sitting in your living room and out of | | | | For most Pakistani students, studying abroad is the |
| surprise you get a call from a friend (not so close) | | | | most appealing option, as international qualifications |
| telling you that he's gotten the student visa and now | | | | are generally sought after by Pakistani businesses |
| he's going to study abroad for higher education. With | | | | and also offer the possibility of finding employment |
| despair you start to envy his plans and happy ending | | | | overseas. |
| of his academic career and curse your fate not being | | | | Hundreds of Pakistani students moved out in |
| so lucky like your friend and to be in Pakistan for the | | | | developed countries like America and Canada every |
| rest of the years. These same stories you might | | | | year for higher education and better job prospects. |
| heard every while from your neibhourhood or one | | | | According to BBC report on November 17, 2000, |
| among friends that young people are leaving Pakistan | | | | Gallup-Pakistan survey indicates that not only qualified |
| for higher education and degree. Parents and other | | | | professionals and university graduates want to leave |
| family members of those young people feel privilege | | | | the country, but even semi-skilled and unskilled |
| that their sons and daughters are guaranteed to | | | | workers want to migrate in search of better |
| have a bright future and unbelievable job | | | | prospects. About 62 per cent of the adults |
| opportunities regardless of thinking that their own | | | | interviewed for the survey expressed the desire to |
| nation is facing the draining of young brains in the | | | | go abroad to work, while 38 per cent say that they |
| name of poor, politically trapped and labeled as highly | | | | would prefer to settle permanently outside the |
| involve in terrorism. Have we ever put our notices to | | | | country. This shows that many Pakistanis are |
| the trend of brain draining which is almost from | | | | gradually losing faith in the country's economic future. |
| every part of Pakistan? You Ask most educated | | | | (Zaffar Abbas, 2000) |
| Pakistanis today what they want for their future, and | | | | Based on HESA (higher education statistics agency) |
| you'll find a large number will say: to settle down in | | | | statistics of July, 2007 "the total number of Pakistani |
| America, Canada or UK. According to Merriam | | | | students enrolled in the UK was 9,335 in 2006 / 2007, |
| Webster dictionary, the literal meaning of brain | | | | with 6,205 students in postgraduate and 3,130 in |
| draining is the departure of educated or professional | | | | undergraduate courses. The number increased to |
| people from one country, economic sector, or field | | | | 9,840 in 2007 / 2008, out of which 6,550 Pakistani |
| for another usually for better pay or living conditions. | | | | students were postgraduate and 3,290 were |
| Universities in west welcome students from all over | | | | undergraduate." Yet the nation is facing a huge loss |
| the world mentioning their mission that "It is clearly in | | | | of people who are educated and the left over are |
| America's long-term national-security interest to | | | | only agriculture and business people who own some |
| welcome international students to come here to | | | | business. This whole map shows that in coming |
| study", said IIE (international institute of education) | | | | years, people with young age normally between 18 |
| President Allan Goodman in a statement released | | | | to 38, when people prefer to study and make their |
| with the study. "International students in U.S. | | | | career ladder will be very less in Pakistan. Only old |
| classrooms widen the perspectives of their U.S. | | | | age people will remain in the country that don't want |
| classmates, contribute to vital research activities, | | | | to travel abroad because of the huge expenditure of |
| strengthen the local economies in which they live, and | | | | travelling and living as they own no jobs and are |
| build lasting ties between their home countries and | | | | dependent up on their children. Even if children are |
| the United States." But in reality the propaganda | | | | settled out in abroad they prefer to live in their own |
| behind is to earn a large amount of money through | | | | country due to high cost of disease treatment in |
| tuition fee from international student which is four | | | | western countries. |
| times of what US citizens pay. Not only this but also | | | | Children of parents having huge amount of earning in |
| oversea students have almost no opportunities to | | | | Pakistan can never imagine their children studying in |
| work part-time while they are studying (unless | | | | Pakistan after 12th grade college education. They |
| through some acquaintance). Because if this is going | | | | have enough money to send their children abroad |
| to be happen it means no money is coming from | | | | and spend thousands of US dollars on them. |
| outside and then their own money is going to be | | | | Moreover those children don't have to study much |
| used by non-Americans in those American universities. | | | | for this guaranteed future. They don't have to |
| This is how they can face a huge lose in their | | | | struggle much in college for good grades because |
| economy. Not only this but when these young | | | | they are not going to take admissions in Pakistani |
| Pakistanis graduate, they tend to do much better on | | | | university on merit basis. Paying overseas tuition fee |
| average financially than even locals. For example, the | | | | in good international university doesn't require a |
| median income in the late 1970s of Pakistanis was | | | | transcript having percentage in 80's or in 90's. Those |
| $20,000, which is well above the US national average | | | | universities believe in only big bank accounts of those |
| of $17,000 (as quoted by staff writer). Although | | | | parents in Pakistan. A heavy bank account |
| American immigration policy since 1965 claims to open | | | | guarantees admission in any university you desire. Not |
| up the country's doors to the world's "poor and | | | | only this, but the students visa depended on this also. |
| huddled masses", most of those it accepts as | | | | In country like Pakistan where the lack of basic living |
| migrants do not fit this bill (Le, 2010). Instead entry | | | | needs are to be fought in middle and lower class of |
| to America is only possible when you have heavy | | | | people, new graduates when face unemployment or |
| bank balance or a most highly educated and | | | | low salary, end up in moving abroad to support their |
| professional degree holders like Pakistani | | | | families and for better life prospects. Now a days |
| professionals. Apart from loosing such a massive | | | | settling in gulf has been a new and cheap moving for |
| manpower, one of the reasons that Pakistan is | | | | those who can't afford going to western and |
| getting poor is because its youth and professionals | | | | expensive countries. Pakistani seems to lose the faith |
| have become selfish to move out and migrate those | | | | on the country's future and so they want to move |
| countries which is not their own but gives them a | | | | where there is possibility, but don't want to stay |
| luxurious life. | | | | back here to help the nation. |
| Currently, there are 68 public universities and 56 | | | | We have to think over it seriously and should go for |
| private universities in Pakistan. Eight public and 18 | | | | the solution for this undermined riddle. No matter if |
| private institutions have degree awarding status. The | | | | you are nurse, doctor, engineer or you are someone |
| average expenditure on education as a percentage | | | | who works as a plumber or electrician, every one |
| of GDP has been little more than two per cent from | | | | possess the right to safe the future of Pakistan. My |
| 2006 to 2008 (Salman Shuaib, 2007).According to | | | | humbly request to the society leaders is to set |
| British council report in July 2009 the driving force for | | | | standards for the basic needs of people and to |
| all Pakistanis to study overseas is increased | | | | establish institutions regarding long term future |
| employability in a competitive marketplace. For | | | | planning for the society demands and abilities and to |
| students who are unable to gain admission to a | | | | take steps for improvement of living standards, |
| prestigious Pakistani institution, the options are to | | | | otherwise there will be nothing but just a territory on |
| study at less prestigious institutions, new private | | | | the map whose existence doesn't matter to world . |
| institutions, or then thinking of overseas destinations. | | | | |