LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on International Youth Day reiterated her resolve to address all issues confronting the youth and equip them with education and skills.
The chief minister urged young people to always stay away from politics of abusive language and remain committed to love for the country. She also appealed to the youth to shun the menace of drugs for the sake of their physical and mental health.
In her special message on International Youth Day, Maryam Nawaz said that 65 percent of Pakistan’s population comprised young people, who were a valuable asset of the country. She said that by equipping the youth with education and skills, they could play a positive role in the world.
The Punjab government, she said, was for the first time becoming a source of support for the youth. Agricultural internships, laptops, e-Tax, Asaan Finance Scheme and Asaan Karobar Scheme had been introduced for them.
The chief minister said interest-free loans were being provided through the Parwaaz Card to skilled and unskilled youth seeking to go abroad. For the first time, 10,000 skilled young people had been provided employment opportunities in Gulf countries through the Parwaaz Card.
She said it was essential to mentor and support the youth to put the country on the path of a better future and development. The purpose of International Youth Day was to highlight the important role of young people in nation-building and development and to discuss the issues confronting them.
Maryam Nawaz further said: “I tell the youth to dream and the Punjab government will support them in turning their dreams into reality.” She said young people should become job creators rather than job seekers and should embrace innovative thinking.
The Honhaar Scholarship programme for thousands of young students at school and college levels was a harbinger of success, she said. For the first time, IT, e-Rozgaar and freelancing had been incorporated into the educational curriculum for a better future of the youth. Interest-free loans of up to Rs30 million were being provided to young people for self-employment, she said.
She said incubation centres were being established to help young people turn their business ideas into reality and encourage startups. Training programmes had also been launched to equip youth with modern technology, artificial intelligence and digital skills.
The chief minister said technical and vocational training institutions across Punjab had been upgraded to meet the demand for a skilled workforce in line with market requirements.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026