Return migration and re-integration challenges in high mountain regions in Pakistan

Return migration has become a recent trend in the mountain regions of Pakistan, primarily driven by a rise in economic opportunities. To understand the perception of return migrants about the economic opportunities available to them and to highlight the various challenges they face in the reintegration process, this study was conducted in the Hunza Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan. This study employed a mixed research approach where quantitative data were collected using field surveys from 153 return migrants while qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews with thirty return migrants. The study reveals that return migrants face difficulties in finding economic opportunities in their home regions due to insufficient support for new initiatives. The study highlights that return migrants possess diverse skills and untapped potential that can be utilized to revitalize the mountain economy, given appropriate support and policies. In this regard, governmental and non-governmental institutions play a crucial role in facilitating the reintegration process by offering assistance in areas such as tourism and entrepreneurship. This study recommends that by developing comprehensive reintegration policies, the government should effectively leverage the skills and potential of return migrants, thereby driving economic growth and development in rural mountain communities across Pakistan.