Push and Pull Factors of Youth Migration in Balochistan: An Examination of Educational and Economic Perspectives

Abstract

The human-development indexes in Balochistan remain the worst in Pakistan and a larger percentage of the province's youth is migrating to the other provinces for education and work. This study utilized the Aspiration-Capability Framework and studied the relationship between push factors (Educational Scarcity, Economic Hardship) and pull factors (Destination Educational Quality, Destination Economic) related to youth migration intentions from Balochistan. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was used and 500 Baloch students who have migrated from Balochistan to Universities of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa foe pursuing higher education were selected using stratified random sampling technique. The four predictor constructs and migration intention were assessed using a 34-item, five-point Likert scale which were reliable according to Cronbach's alpha (all constructs ≥ 0.70). The SPSS program was used for descriptive, correlation, and reliability analysis. Results indicated that all four factors had positive, significant relationships with migration intention, with Educational Scarcity being the strongest correlate (r = .68), followed by Economic Hardship (r = .59) and Destination Economic  (r = .59), and Destination Educational Quality (r = .58). The results suggested that lack of educational facilities and poor economic prospects in Balochistan along with the perceived better educational and economic opportunities of other provinces are responsible for the migration of youth. The study highlighted the importance of targeted investment in the capacity of higher education institutions and local economic development in Balochistan to reduce the emigration of the youth, and calls for more regression based and longitudinal studies in order to build causal and predictive relationships.