ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has approved Pakistan’s first-ever National Youth Employment Policy, which will be launched soon, Rana Mashood Ahmad Khan, Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP), said on Tuesday.
He stated this while addressing the SIA Summit 2.0 as chief guest.
The summit, titled “Building a Women-Led Social Enterprise Ecosystem in Pakistan,” brought together key stakeholders committed to advancing social innovation and inclusive growth.
He said under this policy, a minimum of 35 percent representation of women in the labour force is targeted across sectors.
Additionally, he highlighted that the Prime Minister’s Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme has reserved a 25 percent quota for women nationwide.
He said that positive outcomes are already being observed in provinces like Punjab and Sindh, although he acknowledged the need for further progress in other regions.
Mashood said that the youth and women had to play a pivotal and critical role in shaping Pakistan’s economic future.
He pointed out that to further support women entrepreneurs, the government is establishing facilitation centres aimed at providing women with opportunities to collaborate, innovate, and build sustainable enterprises.
Highlighting past initiatives, he shared his experience of working on women empowerment projects during the tenure of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif when he was chief minister Punjab.
He expressed pride in the foundational role these initiatives played in advancing gender inclusion in the province.
He added that global examples show that when women are given more opportunities, economies grow stronger – for instance, in Indonesia, increasing women’s participation to 50 percent led to a 4 percent rise in GDP – and that Pakistan should move in the same direction.
Mashood appreciated the efforts of the Social Innovation Academy and its partners, including BPF, UN Women, OGDCL, and others for organising a meaningful platform to promote women-led initiatives.
He commended their collective contributions toward empowering communities and fostering entrepreneurship.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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