Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif introduced Pakistan’s National Youth Employment Policy on Wednesday, describing it as the country’s first dedicated framework to expand job and business opportunities for young people. The announcement was made at an event held in Islamabad to mark International Youth Day.
As part of the policy, the premier revealed a 35 percent quota for women in the workforce, alongside a 10 percent annual allocation reserved for youth-led startups. He said the measures were designed to make the labour market more inclusive while encouraging innovation among younger entrepreneurs.
A Push Toward Tech-Driven Growth
Addressing the gathering, PM Shehbaz stressed that the modern era is shaped by artificial intelligence, information technology and other emerging fields. He said that without integrating this knowledge into everyday life, young Pakistanis would struggle to keep pace with more developed nations.
He pledged that the government would direct its full resources toward creating such opportunities, enabling youth to pursue quality education at globally recognized institutions with state backing. The prime minister also reaffirmed his administration’s focus on building technological and skill-based learning suited to today’s fast-changing job market.
Equal Access to Education a Core Priority
PM Shehbaz spoke about the importance of equal educational access, particularly for talented and financially disadvantaged students, framing this as central to the vision left behind by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He warned that without such access, the sacrifices behind Pakistan’s founding would remain incomplete.
He pointed to the gap in educational quality between wealthier and poorer segments of society, citing the Danish Schools initiative he launched in Punjab during his time as the province’s chief minister. That network, he said, is now being extended nationwide as part of the broader National Youth Employment Policy vision.
“Pakistan was created as country where equal opportunities in education, health and progress in different fields of life would be readily available on the basis of hard work,” he said, adding that true national progress depends on equality among all citizens.
New Danish University to Open in Islamabad
The prime minister confirmed plans to establish Danish University in Islamabad, with its first academic session set to begin next year. He described the upcoming institution as a technology-focused university that will admit talented and deserving students regardless of background.
Closing his remarks, PM Shehbaz urged young Pakistanis to take an active role in shaping their own futures, telling the audience, “The future is not something you wait for, the future is something you build, now go and build it.”
