According to Maryam Nawaz, youngsters with access to technology can propel Pakistan’s advancement.

– Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, in a special message on World Youth Skills Day, said that only youth empowered with technology can play a key role in the country’s development.

Reaffirming her commitment to equipping the province’s youth with technology and professional skills, the chief minister encouraged young people to pursue freelancing, IT and technical trades.

In her message, Maryam said that youth equipped with technology and vocational skills are essential to Pakistan’s development and prosperity, adding that young people are the nation’s most valuable asset and the architects of its future.

She said the Punjab government has allocated substantial funds to promote skills development among youth. Under the Asaan Karobar and Asaan Finance schemes, loans have been provided to more than 108,000 people. Through the Asaan Karobar Scheme, young entrepreneurs are being offered interest-free loans ranging from Rs1 million to Rs30 million.

The chief minister said that under the Agriculture Internship Programme, 2,000 young people are receiving a monthly stipend of Rs60,000. She added that vocational training institutes are offering internationally aligned courses in technology, construction, masonry, welding, tile fixing and heavy vehicle maintenance. She also said that 10,000 young people from across Punjab have been placed in jobs in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries in line with international market requirements.

Maryam Nawaz further said that, for the first time in Punjab, e-commerce, digital marketing and modern IT courses have been incorporated into the curriculum. Under the SEHR Programme, 5,365 women across the province are receiving training in modern beautification, hospitality and airline management. She added that participants in the programme are also being provided free laptops and a monthly stipend of Rs7,500.