Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PYMP), Rana Mashood Ahmad Khan, has stated that the initiative currently reaches around 170 million Pakistanis, representing nearly 70% of the country’s total population. He emphasized that Pakistan’s youth are its greatest strength and that empowering them is essential for long-term economic stability.
Speaking during a visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Rana Mashood highlighted that engaging such a large youth population is both a major challenge and a significant opportunity. He noted that failure to effectively involve young people could lead to socio-economic issues, while successful engagement could drive national progress.
The PM Youth Programme is structured around four key pillars: education, engagement, environment, and employment. Under this framework, the government has launched Pakistan’s first Digital Youth Hub, designed to connect young individuals with job opportunities, scholarships, and skill development programs.
Currently, around 800,000 youth are registered on the platform, along with more than 4,000 organizations from Pakistan and abroad. The hub offers over 100,000 job opportunities and more than 3,000 scholarships across various fields. Powered by artificial intelligence, the platform is updated daily to ensure access to the latest opportunities.
Rana Mashood also highlighted the Prime Minister’s Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme, noting that loan disbursement has increased significantly from Rs80 billion between 2013 and 2024 to Rs200 billion last year, with plans to further raise it to Rs250 billion this year. He stated that each loan generates an average of 3.3 jobs, contributing to employment growth.
Additionally, Pakistan’s first Youth Employment Policy has been approved, aiming to ensure at least 35% participation of women in the workforce. The government is also working on a National Adolescent and Youth Policy, categorizing young people into different age groups to better address their needs.
The initiative reflects a comprehensive approach toward youth empowerment, focusing on education, employment, and digital connectivity to unlock the potential of Pakistan’s young population.
