ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday called for a comprehensive strategy to equip Pakistan’s youth with professional skills tailored to international job markets while chairing a meeting on youth employment and skill development in Islamabad.
Estimates suggest that approximately 64 percent of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 30, offering a significant opportunity to drive economic growth through a young workforce contributing to entrepreneurship, innovation and diversification.
However, this youth bulge also poses challenges, including high unemployment rates, limited access to quality education and vocational training and the risk of social unrest due to underutilized potential.
The government, striving to stabilize the economy, has actively sought both domestic and foreign investment while engaging friendly nations, particularly in the Gulf region, to provide employment opportunities for young Pakistanis, especially in the field of information technology.
“It is essential to equip the youth with professional skills to increase employment opportunities,” Sharif was quoted as saying in a statement released by his office after he chaired a meeting of the Prime Minister’s Youth Program.
“Pakistan’s future is linked to the development of the IT sector,” he continued while directing the formation of a strategy aligned with the demands of the markets in friendly countries to provide overseas employment to young Pakistanis.
The prime minister emphasized the government’s focus on promoting the private sector to address domestic unemployment.
“The government is actively working on a policy to promote the private sector and address unemployment in the country,” he said.
He also called for action against fraudulent and unlicensed companies offering overseas employment, noting the need for stricter regulation to protect workers.
During the meeting, Sharif was briefed on the upcoming launch of the Prime Minister Digital Youth Hub, a platform designed to provide information on employment and other services to young people.
He directed the platform be made user-friendly and available not only in English but also in Urdu and other regional languages.
Pakistan PM calls for strategy to equip youth for global job market
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Pakistan PM calls for strategy to equip youth for global job market

- Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan’s future is linked to the development of the information technology sector
- Government will soon launch a digital youth hub to provide information on employment to young people