Hundreds of poverty-hit youth daily cross into Iran

ZARANJ (Pajhwok): More than 1,000 youth daily cross the border into Iran and hundreds of others are deported on a daily basis in western Nimroz province, officials and the jobless youth claimed on Monday.

An official at the Nimroz refugee and reparation department, told Pajhwok Afghan News that more than 1,000 youth daily crossed the border into neighboring.

He said those crossing the border included residents of Nimroz and other parts of the country. They cross into Iran to proceed to other countries for job due to unemployment in Afghanistan.

Youths say concerned about unemployment and poverty

Mohammad Sadiq Baloch, who has graduated from agriculture faculty of Nimroz University, said he was currently unemployed. He told Pajhwok, “Majority of us are highly educated but we are unemployed and job opportunities are yet to be provided to them.”

He said a large number of educated youth daily approached government institutions for jobs, but in vain.

He said he was trying to get Iran visa for work and leave the country soon.

Marim, who graduated from Faculty of Dari Language department of Nimroz University last year, is jobless. She told Pajhwok that most of people were unwilling to send their daughters to government institutions for job and just wanted their daughters to be a teacher but there is no shortage of teachers in Nimroz.

She said, “I have been facing economic problems, if boys cannot find jobs or do business, how can girls do it.”

The two urged the government to provide jobs to the youth particularly educated youth in the province.

Ahmad Qurishi, the Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs & Disabled department head, told Pajhwok that 200 youths were imparted technical and vocational training in the ongoing year and efforts were underway to train more in near future.

 He said dozens of youth, including girls, received technical and vocational training each year in the province and availed jobs as well.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Nabi Barahwai, deputy governor, said the ongoing four-decade old conflict was a major reason behind joblessness and poverty.

He said they had always tried to prevent the youth from going to Iran and they had constructed some check-posts in this regard as well.

He added efforts were underway along with a number of government institutions to provide jobs to the youth in future.

pk/ma