Chairman of the Prime Minister's Youth Program, Rana Mashhood, held a press conference today. Addressing the conference, Rana Mashhood stated that out of Pakistan's 240 million population, 70 percent are young people. Among them, those under 30 years old make up 170 million of the population. This youth bulge needs to be guided in the right direction and provided with a platform to engage in positive activities. He emphasized the importance of instilling confidence in the youth, assuring them that hard work will be rewarded based on merit, whether in education, sports, technology, or skills development. Rana Mashhood highlighted the focus on youth empowerment during Shahbaz Sharif's tenure as Chief Minister of Punjab. Initiatives such as the laptop scheme, Punjab Education Endowment Fund, scholarships, skills development programs, and quality education initiatives were launched under the leadership of Mian Nawaz Sharif and Mian Shahbaz Sharif and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
Rana Mashhood expressed gratitude for being appointed as the chairman of the Prime Minister's Youth Program by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. He pledged to fulfill his responsibilities to the best of his abilities. He announced plans to expand the youth loan program and increase the IT industry's growth from 15 to 25 percent in the coming years as per the vision of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
The Chairman mentioned that initiatives like e-employment and Danish schools, introduced during Shahbaz Sharif's tenure as Chief Minister of Punjab, will be expanded nationwide under the Danish Authority in Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Balochistan, and Sindh.
The aim is to empower Pakistani youth through investment programs in IT skills training courses and other upcoming initiatives. Efforts are underway to provide dignified employment opportunities locally and internationally through modern skills development courses for young individuals. Rana Mashhood stressed the importance of e-gaming in the digital era, highlighting its potential as a billion-dollar industry and acknowledging the achievements of Pakistani youth in this field.
The Youth Festival in Punjab showcased the talent and capabilities of young individuals in sports. The Prime Minister's Youth Talent Hunt program was initiated to nurture talent across 12 different sports disciplines. Promising athletes identified through talent hunt leagues and national games will receive training in collaboration with Olympic Associations to participate in international sports events.
To promote Pakistan's culture, support will be provided for local art and craft to gain recognition both nationally and internationally. The tourism sector is being focused on as an industry that could potentially generate 10 to 15 billion dollars annually. Projects are underway to enhance tourism experiences, including launching tourist double-decker buses on scenic routes in Islamabad to showcase Pakistan's civilization and culture to visitors from around the world.
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