PM's youth programme covers 170m Pakistanis

Prime Minister's Youth Programme (PYMP) Chairman Rana Mashood Ahmad Khan has stated that Pakistan's youth are its greatest asset and that creating opportunities for them is essential for long-term economic stability, according to an official statement issued on Friday. Speaking during his visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Mashood said PYMP caters to nearly 70% of Pakistan's population – approximately 170 million young people out of the country's total population of about 240 million. He noted that engaging such a large youth population is a major challenge, but if Pakistan succeeds, the benefits will be enormous. Conversely, failure to positively engage youth could create serious socio-economic challenges. He explained that the programme is working on the framework of four Es: education, engagement, environment and employment. Pakistan's first Digital Youth Hub has been launched to connect young people with opportunities. He urged all chambers of commerce, including KCCI, to become part of the platform through registration. About 800,000 young people are currently registered with the hub, while more than 4,000 organisations from within Pakistan and abroad are also connected. Pakistani missions abroad are linked with the hub and share employment, education and training opportunities available in their respective countries. The platform currently offers more than 100,000 job opportunities in Pakistan and overseas, and more than 3,000 scholarships in education and technical fields. The system is based on artificial intelligence and data is updated daily. Highlighting another flagship initiative, Mashood referred to the Prime Minister's Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme. Loan disbursement under the scheme amounted to Rs80 billion between 2013 and 2024, which was increased to Rs200 billion last year. The government now intends to further enhance the allocation to Rs250 billion during the current year. Every loan disbursed results in the creation of an average of 3.3 jobs. He advised KCCI to establish a facilitation centre to help young people understand procedures for availing loans. Referring to broader policy measures, he stated that Pakistan's first Youth Employment Policy has been introduced and approved by the cabinet, envisaging at least 35% participation of women in the labour force. The government is also working on Pakistan's first National Adolescent and Youth Policy, which categorises young people into three age groups: 10 to 15 years, 15 to 19 years, and 19 to 29 years. Earlier, KCCI Senior Vice President Muhammad Raza stated that Pakistan's youth constitute the majority of the country's population and that empowering them is essential for sustainable economic growth. He proposed enhanced engagement between PYMP and KCCI to facilitate internships, apprenticeships and startup incubation opportunities for young people.