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RAWALPINDI, Nov 18 (APP): The Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) on Tuesday crossed the milestone of distributing 1,000 desktops across the province under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s ‘Skilled Youth Vision’, while handing over 116 more desktops to selected rural women from Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Attock, Jhelum and Mandi Bahauddin.
National Commission on the Status of Women Chairperson Ms Leila Azhar, in her address at the distribution ceremony here as chief guest, underscored the transformative role of digital literacy for women in Pakistan.
“When women gain access to technology, they gain access to opportunity. Initiatives like ‘Mein Digital’ do more than provide devices — they open doors for women to learn, earn and lead. Empowering women through digital tools is an investment not only in them but in families, communities and Pakistan’s economic future,” she said.
Head of Digital Programmes at PSDF, Akbar Hussain, said the achievement of distributing 1,000 desktops province-wide under the ‘Mein Digital – IT Training for Empowering Rural Women in Technology (ERWIT)’ initiative reflected the PSDF’s commitment to expanding economic participation.
He added that the 116 women selected from the region were now equipped with the skills and tools to enter the digital workforce with confidence, with many preparing to start online ventures.
National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) Chairperson Gulmina Bilal highlighted the long-term significance of the initiative, noting that digital empowerment remained the quickest route to women’s financial independence.
PSDF Chief Executive Officer Ahmed Khan said that reaching the 1,000-desktop mark demonstrated the programme’s “transformative momentum”, adding that Phase I results showed a strong appetite among rural women to acquire digital skills, generate online income streams and support their families’ digital transition.
He said the combination of guided online learning and access to technology was already yielding visible impact across communities.