ISLAMABAD: Empowering underprivileged youth by drastically increasing opportunities for their education, training and employability is critical for the future of Pakistan, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has said.
Iqbal made the remarks during the launch of five “young development initiatives” to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the country’s independence.
According to a statement from the ministry, the five key initiatives include 20,000 internships for young engineers, the uplifting of the 20 poor districts of Pakistan, the establishment of 250 mini sports complexes, the establishment of an innovation fund, and 75 national top talent scholarship programs.
Under the internship program, 20,000 young engineers will be hired to improve their skills and employability, the ministry said.
The Pakistan innovation fund is intended to prepare a framework for effective innovation policy for the country including the identification of factors that lead to positive and effective innovative regulatory processes, it added.
“Only by privatising the state investment in the young people can we turn Pakistan’s youth bulge from a liability into an asset,” the minister said while highlighting the significance of the initiatives.
