ISLAMABAD, Jan 22 (APP):Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Youth Affairs Muhammad Usman Dar Wednesday urged the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), Pakistan to extend technical assistance in setting up a monitoring unit for the Prime Minster’s Kamyab Jawan Program.
The SAPM, during a meeting with the country head of UNFPA-Pakistan Ms. Lina, invited the international agency to be part of the proposed monitoring unit by extending technical support and knowledge sharing, said a press release issued here.
“It is the high time to work collectively for welfare of Pakistani youth as youth development is one of the key areas prioritized by our government for investment,” Dar said.
Ms. Lina assured the SAPM for the UNFPA’s support and coordination towards the PM’s Kamyab Jawan Program.
She hoped that the initiatives, taken by Pakistani government under the programme, had enough potential to turn around the country’s economy, besides engaging the young people positively.
The SAPM pointed out that his government had made huge investments for mainstreaming the youth in national development and fully believed that the young people of Pakistan had huge potential to transform the country into a developed state.
He said the government had recently launched two major pro-youth initiatives under the Kamyab Jawan Program including Rs 100 billion Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) and Rs 30 billion Skill for All, adding such projects was the manifestation of the fact that the present leadership of Pakistan was fully committed to empower the youth.
He informed Ms. Lina that more youth empowerment programmes including Start-up Pakistan for training of entrepreneurs, Green Youth Movement (GYM) for social engagement of youth, National Internship Program (NIP) and National Health Youth Movement were in pipeline that would be launched with collaboration of ministries concerned in the current year.
The country director said that she was overwhelmingly excited and delighted at the initiatives of the present government for empowering youth in Pakistan.
“We strongly believe in your vision and solid political framework for engagement of youth. The UNFPA has invested in policy-making and other areas as well.”
Dar said initial work on establishing National Youth Development Foundation had already begun, which would ensure an institutional framework for youth at the federal level.
The meeting was also attended by delegates of UNFPA and officials of the PM office.
