Demographic challenge: HC to UK for empowering youth, women through education

Pakistan High Commissioner to UK, Syed Ibne Abbas said on Sunday that PML-N led government was focusing on educating the youth with particular focus on girls' education.
He made these remarks while delivering a talk on "Pakistan's Demographic Challenge-What is the role for the UK," at a dinner jointly hosted by Chief Executive of the British Council, Sir Ciaran Devane and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Pakistan Rehman Chishti MP, at the British Parliament.
Syed Ibne Abbas said that work was also being carried out to standardise and streamline the three strands of educational system in Pakistan ie public, private and madrasah.
Rt Hon Tobias Ellwood MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and a cross-party delegation of 8 MPs were also present during the occasion, said a press release received here from London.
Speaking on the occasion, the High Commissioner said that the biggest demographic challenge of Pakistan was to empower youth and women through education and skills.
To address this challenge, the government of Pakistan was focused on educating the youth.
Work was also being carried out to standardise and streamline the three strands of educational system in Pakistan ie public, private and madrassah, he added.
The High Commissioner appreciated the work of British Council and UK Department for International Development (DFID), in Pakistan's education sector and emphasised on the need of expanding this work to further assist Pakistan in capacity building of trainers, teachers and women.
Minister Tobias Ellwood shared his views on the close and friendly Pakistan-UK relations and the role UK could play in finding solutions to Pakistan's demographic challenge.
In his remarks, MP Rehman Chishti spoke about the demographic pressures faced by Pakistan due to rapidly growing population.
He said that this challenge could be addressed by investing in Pakistan's youth that would make the country safe and prosperous.
MP Tasmina Sheikh, who was part of the delegation that visited Pakistan, underscored the value of such parliamentary exchanges through British Council and CPA.
MP Andrew Stephenson, former Chair APPG for Pakistan, highlighted the opportunities in Pakistan with growing number of young people and called for greater participation of the youth in political process.
MP David Henson, Shadow Foreign Office Minister, emphasised on creating more opportunities for the Pakistani youth to make them useful citizens of the country.