Youth is the Greatest Strength of Pakistan: Nawaz Sharif

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said that youth of Pakistan are its greatest strength and the present Government will ensure that youth is gainfully employed and helped in all respects. He said this while chairing a meeting to review the Prime Minister’s Youth Program, in Islamabad today. The meeting was also attended by Finance Minister Mr. Ishaq Dar, Minister Information Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Minister of State for Information Technology Mrs. Anusha Rehman, Special Assistant to PM Dr. Musadaq Malik, Secretary Finance Dr. Waqar Masood Khan and senior officers of the PM Office.

The Prime Minister was briefed regarding all the features of the Youth Program and it was informed that so far around half million feedbacks / suggestions have been received from the general public, of which practicable suggestions have been included in the program.

The Prime Minister’s Youth Program comprises of Six (06) Schemes including Qarze-Hassana (Micro Interest-Free Loans), Small Business Loans, Youth Training Scheme, Youth Skills Development Scheme, Provision of Laptops and Scheme for Reimbursement of Fee for Students of less developed areas.

The Prime Minister directed that 50 % loans should be reserved for women in the Micro Interest-Free Loans scheme and the procedure for acquiring loans should be made simple with shortest possible time for release.  Moreover, the Prime Minister directed that youth from less developed areas including Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir be given priority in these schemes, and 100% transparency and merit be ensured.

Prime Minister was apprised that initially 0.25 million youth would be provided with the loans and One Hundred Thousand Laptops would be provided when the Laptop scheme is launched in January 2014.

Prime Minister said that the Government wants to provide various opportunities to the youth including skilled education, trainings, employment and scholarships so that they could contribute positively in all fields.