Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has unveiled Pakistan’s inaugural National Youth Employment Policy, a strategic initiative designed to enhance employment and entrepreneurship prospects for the country’s youth. The policy, introduced during a ceremony in Islamabad, includes a significant provision ensuring a fifty percent quota for women in the labor force.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Prime Minister highlighted additional measures aimed at fostering innovation and skill development among young people. A notable feature of the policy is the allocation of ten percent of the annual quota to startups, encouraging youth to pursue entrepreneurial ventures rather than traditional employment. Furthermore, Shehbaz Sharif announced a government-funded program to send one thousand boys and girls to China for training in Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence, selected on the basis of merit.

The Prime Minister also addressed ongoing and upcoming educational initiatives, mentioning the distribution of seven hundred thousand laptops to talented students and the planned distribution of two hundred and fifty thousand Chromebooks this year. He emphasized the role of Daanish Schools in providing high-quality education to deserving students and announced the establishment of a new Daanish University in Islamabad. The university will focus on technology and technical education, prioritizing modern sciences, with admissions based on merit.

In addition to the employment policy, Shehbaz Sharif launched the National Power Sector Innovation Programme and the Skills Ambassador Programme, further underscoring the government’s commitment to youth empowerment and skill development.