Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, addressing the National Youth Solution Sprint 2026 Round Two under Banu Shaheen initiative, emphasized the need to empower young people to move beyond identifying problems and actively contribute to developing practical solutions for Pakistan’s social and economic challenges.
“Pakistan’s greatest strength is its youth. Our objective is to transform young people from critics of problems into solution providers who can play a meaningful role in national development,” the minister said. He stressed that understanding the root causes of problems was essential for developing effective and sustainable solutions, adding that success depended not merely on proposing ideas but on translating them into practical action.
During the second round of the National Youth Solution Sprint 2026, student teams explored critical social challenges, including drug abuse, population growth, access to clean drinking water and sanitation, out-of-school children, and malnutrition. Team leads presented the challenges associated with each issue and proposed community-level activities and actionable interventions to generate positive and sustainable impact.
The Minister underscored that young people must develop solutions aligned with Pakistan’s ground realities, available resources and local needs, ensuring that their ideas extend beyond presentations and deliver tangible results. He also highlighted the importance of communication, leadership and other life skills alongside technical knowledge, noting that these capabilities were essential for translating ideas into meaningful outcomes.
The Minister Ahsan Iqbal said young people should be engaged in addressing national challenges from their student years and connected with Pakistan’s development agenda through constructive participation, rather than being used for political agendas. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to nurturing a generation of young leaders capable of contributing positively across all sectors.
The National Youth Solution Sprint aims to place young people at the centre of problem-solving by equipping them with the tools, methodologies and platforms needed to contribute to national development. The initiative will also provide a continuous platform for innovation and policy *engagement through monthly innovation sprints, TED-style talks, policy labs and “Dragons’ Den”-style pitches, enabling participants to refine their ideas, test solutions, engage with experts and present innovative proposals.*
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