ISLAMABAD (Staff Reporter)
Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, announced on Tuesday that the first-ever National Youth and Adolescence Policy is being formulated in consultation with all four provinces and relevant stakeholders.
Addressing a ceremony regarding the new policy, Rana Mashhood revealed that the government’s Digital Youth Hub has seen an overwhelming response, with over 700,000 young people registering on the platform in just the last four months.
He expressed gratitude to UNICEF and the teams from all four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan for their collaborative efforts. “All provincial representatives and the youth themselves want to do something for their nation and country,” he said, praising the young people for their active participation and “commendable resolve” in shaping the policy.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to youth empowerment, the Chairman recalled that the Pakistan Muslim League-N had first introduced a youth policy in Punjab back in 2011. He emphasized that the current federal government is building on this legacy by ensuring provincial inclusion in policy-making.
“The Digital Youth Hub is providing opportunities to young people based on merit and transparency,” Rana Mashhood stated. He outlined several other key initiatives for the youth, including:
- The formulation of a dedicated Artificial Intelligence policy for young people.
- The announcement of a Semiconductor Policy by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
- The ongoing development of Pakistan’s first e-Sports Policy and the establishment of a national e-Sports Federation, a sector connected to an estimated 60 million Pakistanians.
- The Prime Minister’s Youth Sports Talent Hunt Programme, which has already engaged 300,000 participants.
“The Prime Minister’s Youth Programme is providing all possible facilities to young people and empowering them by providing opportunities without discrimination, in line with the vision and directives of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif,” the Chairman concluded.