IntemationalLabour Migration from Two Pakistani Villages with Different Forms of Agriculture

This paper is an analysis of the socio-economic situation oftwo Punjabi villages. It makes an attempt to explain why the villagersof these rural places have to seek work abroad. The first part of thepaper deals with the agricultural condi· tions, the non-agriculturalactivities available to the villagers, and the budgets of differentsocial categories found in the villages. The second part examines theeffects of the process of migration on the young people. It particularlydiscusses the profile of the migrant, the problems faced by him beforehis departure, the remittances and their utilization, and the impact ofemigration upon women's economic role in the villages and upon thetraditional social conflicts. The important conclusion of the paper isthat these villagers cannot ensure their social, economic, and culturalreproduction.