Insignificant development in Afghanistan industrial and agriculture sectors is the major factor behind Afghanistan high dependency on neighboring and closely located countries for importing basic necessities, luxurious goods and light to heavy machinery. Some of the products imported from these countries are those made from raw material from Afghanistan. Our government has failed to boost the industrial sectors by establishing more factories and providing the investors with better security, consistent electric power and proper infrastructure network. Meanwhile the agricultural sector too faces multifaceted problems.
No noteworthy development in the above areas has led to a high level of employment in the country and fears remain solid that the condition might further worsen with withdrawal of tens of thousands of foreign troops from Afghanistan by the end of next year. At such an important juncture where Afghanistan is standing today on can ask: If Afghanistan is failing to provide job opportunities at present, what will be its condition after 2014 when the international community will complete its troops’ withdrawal process and international fund will diminish?
The economy of Afghanistan is not creating adequate job opportunities to address the growing needs of masses. Based on the data from Ministry of Labor, the number of unemployed Afghans is now over a million. A big portion of that figure is formed by youths.
Bad security, lack of proper planning and massive corruption are major reasons for high unemployment in Afghanistan. Relatively good security prevails only in capital and a few major cities of Afghanistan like Mazara e Sharif and Hirat. And those are the cities where the population is growing rapidly giving birth to numerous social and economic problems.
Corruption and nepotism continues to remain high in the country discouraging is masses about their future. The Karzai administration has had no significant achievement in fight against corruption. Meanwhile, lives of the people of Afghanistan remain greatly at risk due to deteriorating security condition. This causes thousands of Afghans to travel illegally to other countries of the world, mostly at the risk of their lives. Afghans form a big portion of people who have applied for asylum in Europe and Australia. Most of the times their attempts to cross borders without having valid travel documents cost them their lives. But Afghans never give up as for majority of Afghans illegally entering into foreign countries is the only option of finding a source of income to afford the expense of their families.
As the future continues to remain uncertain, bad security persists and employment opportunities are not being created, the hope of Afghan people are fading. It is high time for the government to take some serious measures for improving living standard of the people by providing them with jobs and safer and more peaceful environment.