Punjab to prioritise skilled workforce development: minister
LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman on Tuesday underscored that transforming the province’s young population into a skilled, productive and globally competitive workforce remains a top priority of the government.
Chairing the 36th meeting of the Cabinet Standing Committee on Legislation and Privatisation at the Darbar Hall of the Civil Secretariat, the minister said Pakistan is not only facing an employment gap but, more critically, a shortage of market-ready skilled human resources. He stressed that strengthening technical and vocational education alongside formal schooling has become essential.
He highlighted the establishment of the Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Department by the Chief Minister of Punjab as a “visionary reform” aimed at building a world-class workforce aligned with evolving global labour market demands. He said various skills development institutions are being consolidated under a unified administrative framework to improve coordination, resource utilization, and overall efficiency in human capital investment.
The minister added that the new institutional setup would not only provide technical training but also facilitate job placement in domestic and international markets. He noted that exporting skilled manpower would help strengthen the economy, generate employment, and increase foreign exchange earnings. Reaffirming the government’s commitment, he said continued measures would be taken to reduce unemployment and poverty through youth empowerment initiatives.
The committee approved over eight recommendations related to legal and administrative matters across multiple departments. These included extension of an agreement between the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Punjab Home Department, preparation of a memorandum of understanding between the Planning and Development Board and AQUA, and amendments to the Punjab Private Housing Schemes Rules 2022, Punjab Legal Aid Rules 2025, and Punjab Criminal Prosecution Service Rules 2007. It also approved drafting of the Punjab Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Act 2025.
The forum further endorsed submitting an agreement to the provincial cabinet for establishing Material Testing Laboratories in Gujranwala and Sialkot in collaboration with the Urban Development Unit.
Provincial Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bukhari said the Chief Minister was leading broad institutional reforms to improve governance and public service delivery. She stressed that future public-sector recruitments would be strictly merit-based, while promotions would depend on performance and professional competence rather than seniority alone.
She added that underperformance should not be rewarded with career advancement.
Highlighting the proposed Legal Aid Agency, she said its purpose was to ensure equal access to justice for marginalized communities. She suggested that lawyers’ performance should be evaluated based on the quality of legal arguments and effectiveness of representation rather than courtroom attendance alone.
Azma Bukhari also recommended aligning all skills development programmes currently operating under various welfare bodies with the proposed Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Department. She emphasized that equipping vulnerable women with market-oriented skills would help ensure long-term economic independence and self-reliance.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026