Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to launch a nationwide initiative on November 9 aimed at engaging one million young Pakistanis as social mobilizers to address critical social challenges facing the country. Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, announced the program, which seeks to improve social indicators through grassroots community involvement.

According to Press Information Department, the initiative will tackle pressing issues such as the education of 25 million out-of-school children, low literacy levels, and high rates of childhood stunting and malnutrition. Youth participants will be mobilized to promote healthy lifestyles, raise awareness on health and nutrition, and contribute to environmental sustainability through plantation drives. The effort aims to incorporate Pakistan’s youth as active partners in the country’s development goals, connecting national priorities with community-level action.

Ahsan Iqbal emphasized the importance of youth involvement, noting that 60 percent of Pakistan’s population is young. The program is described as an unprecedented effort to harness the potential of Pakistani youth as ambassadors of social change, aligning with Prime Minister Sharif’s vision for a participatory development model. The Minister highlighted past successes in overcoming national challenges and expressed optimism about the country’s potential to become a major global economy by 2035.

The initiative will also focus on fostering a cohesive national identity among young Pakistanis and supporting efforts to improve education, health, and human development. Ahsan Iqbal underscored the critical role of political and social stability in sustaining economic progress and called for unity and national cohesion in addressing emerging challenges.