London: Pakistan faces a "demographic
disaster" if its leaders fail to invest in a youth population
that is disturbingly cynical about democracy, a report claimed
today.
The report, commissioned by the British Council, said
Pakistan is at the crossroads and its younger generation is
losing faith in democracy.
"Pakistan is at a crossroads. It can harness the
energy of that generation and collect a demographic dividend.
But if they fail to get jobs and are poorly educated, it faces
a demographic disaster," said David Steven, an academic, who
helped write the report.
The report said the nuclear-armed country is at a
critical point, with its population forecast to swell by 85
million, from its current 180 million, over the next two
decades.
Half of Pakistan's population are aged under 20, with
two-thirds still to reach their 30th birthday.
But they are deeply divided about how the country
should be run. Only a third believe democracy is the best
system of governance, one third support sharia law, while 7
per cent think dictatorship is a good idea.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, November 21, 2009, 18:26