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Government Prioritises Youth Employment
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed relevant ministries and departments to take coordinated and effective measures to create employment opportunities for young people under the National Youth Employment Policy .
Chairing a review meeting on the policy’s implementation, the prime minister described providing dignified employment to the country’s skilled youth as among the government’s top priorities. He directed that progress be reviewed monthly to ensure effective execution of the planned measures .
Skills Training and Women’s Empowerment
The prime minister emphasized the need to equip young people, particularly women, with skills to enable their participation in new employment opportunities . Under the policy, the government has set a target for women to make up 35 per cent of the labour force, with at least 10 per cent allocated to startups .
The prime minister also directed that special focus be placed on creating employment opportunities for youth in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa .
Institutional Reforms and Key Initiatives
Shehbaz said institutional reforms had been introduced in the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) to align Pakistan’s skilled workforce with business and industrial demand both domestically and internationally .
The meeting was informed of several key initiatives:
- NAVTTC is providing workers with internationally recognised certifications and language proficiency for overseas labour markets
- Digital Youth Hub is providing information on domestic and overseas employment opportunities through a single platform
- Youth Development Cells are being established in educational institutions to provide career counselling and guidance
Awareness Campaign and Coordination
The prime minister directed authorities to launch an awareness campaign to inform young people about the benefits and opportunities available under the policy . He also stressed the need for inter-ministerial coordination and a comprehensive strategy for implementing initiatives under the policy .
