As the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) works to attract foreign investment in Pakistan, it is crucial to address the underlying causes of the country’s challenging investment climate. While efforts to ease regulations and improve infrastructure are essential, they address symptoms, not the root causes. One of the most critical yet often overlooked areas is the development, reward, and retention of a productive workforce. Without comprehensive reforms in this domain, Pakistan risks further brain drain, weakening its competitive edge and undermining its attractiveness to foreign investors.
A thriving workforce is the backbone of a strong economy. Countries such as India, Bangladesh, and Malaysia have realized this, focusing on improving the quality of their labor force through education, training, and favorable working conditions. India’s IT sector, for instance, flourished due to government policies that invested in human capital development, creating a skilled workforce that attracted global giants like Google and Microsoft. Similarly, Malaysia’s government has made strides in labor reform, offering attractive career opportunities to retain top talent and reduce brain drain.
In contrast, Pakistan continues to lose its most skilled professionals to foreign markets due to a lack of adequate opportunities, rewards, and professional development. This brain drain not only diminishes the country’s human capital but also sends a negative signal to potential investors, who are looking for a skilled and stable workforce.
The SIFC must focus on the causes of Pakistan’s economic challenges by implementing workforce reforms. Investment in education, vocational training, and competitive compensation is vital. Only then will Pakistan be able to attract and retain the talent necessary to foster a vibrant investment climate and pave the way for sustainable growth.
Writer is CEO HR Metrics Pakistan and Member of International HR Standards Development Committee: Zahid@thehrmetrics.com
Zahid Mubarik SHRM-SCP, SPHRi, GPHR
CEO HR Metrics
Zahid Mubarik is an internationally acclaimed thinker, writer, speaker, and thought leader on strategic human resource management. He is the CEO of HR Metrics and founder and president of Society for Human Reource Management (SHRM) Forum Pakistan. He has the honor of being the only HR leader from Asia to become a member of ISO Geneva Technical Committee 260 for Developing Global HR Standards. The Committee initially comprised of 11 leading countries, including USA, UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, and Pakistan.
He served as a global Convener of HR Metrics Standards ISO TC 260 leading 31 countries. Zahid also led Pakistan in ISO HR standards development in-person meetings in Washington, London, Melbourne, Rotterdam, Paris, Singapore, Bali and Montreal. He has a knack for aligning workforce performance with organisational productivity in measurable way. He has the honor of being distinguished speaker in in-person international conferences on people analytics in Las Vegas, Beijing, Moscow, Baku, Hanoi, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Zahid served as member of Pakistan Stock Exchange Task Force on ESG Disclosure. More information at following
Website: https://thehrmetrics.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zahid-mubarik-shrm-scp-sphri-gphr-5a1b672b/
