LAHORE – Chairman Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan has said that Pakistan’s future rests with its youth, stressing that today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders and must be transformed from job-seekers into job-creators.
He expressed these views on Friday while addressing a ceremony at the University of Education, Lahore, organized in connection with the Prime Minister’s Youth Initiatives and the Digital Youth Hub.
Rana Mashhood said that equipping young people with modern skills and technology is the government’s foremost priority. He noted that over one million laptops have already been distributed, while National Incubation Centers fund more than 150 innovative projects each year. Through the Digital Youth Hub, he added, scholarships on merit, online courses, world-class certifications, internships, freelancing opportunities, and startup investment facilities are being provided to enable youth to become self-reliant and contribute to strengthening the economy.
The chairman announced that within the next two to three months, Pakistan’s first Adolescent Youth Policy and an E-Sports Policy would be introduced, aimed at granting youth access to modern opportunities and ensuring their active participation in national development.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to higher education, he said that both local and international scholarships are being offered so that no student is deprived of education due to lack of resources. He also urged female students to register on the Digital Youth Hub platform to avail themselves of government facilities.
Rana Mashhood further emphasized that Pakistan’s foundations were built on the blood of martyrs, calling upon the youth to remain vigilant against enemy conspiracies and play their role in the nation’s defense. “The recent Pakistan-India war is proof that our nation always stands as a solid wall in difficult times,” he remarked.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, he said, revolutionary measures are being taken to empower the younger generation, with the Digital Youth Hub serving as a practical manifestation of these steps. He urged students to register and actively contribute to the country’s progress.
The chairman also underlined that the appointment of institutional heads on merit and the elimination of the cheating mafia had enabled students from underprivileged backgrounds to secure top positions, proving that merit remains the key to success.
Addressing the gathering, Vice Chancellor of the University of Education Professor Dr. Akif Anwar Chaudhry said the youth possess immense potential, and with training in modern technology, they are being prepared to compete globally.