Punjab youth entrepreneurship program will be launched next month, under which province’s youth will be provided with grants to execute their innovative ideas and earn respectable livelihood. It was disclosed by Punjab minister for youth and sports Muhammad Taimoor Khan, during a policy dialogue on youth employability jointly organized by Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) and Indus Consortium under UKAID-funded project “Empowering Youth for Employment and Entrepreneurship” here on Tuesday. The provincial minister said that 64% of Pakistan’s population consists of youth, which is a positive omen for future prosperity of the country. “It is, however, also a challenge for the government. Fulfillment of our youth’s aspirations is responsibility of the government. It is a huge challenge. We can’t provide government jobs to all youth. Therefore, our focus is on imparting skill development and promoting entrepreneurship. Youth directorate is also being established to launch Punjab youth entrepreneurship program,” Taimoor elaborated. Eminent parliamentarians, academia, corporate executives, university students, youth representatives from various districts across the province and members of civil society participated in discussions probing roles of policy makers, private sector and academia pertaining to Issues, challenges and pathways of youth employability. Policy dialogue conducted by various stakeholders from corporate, civil society and government to discuss strategies for converting youth bulge of 64% of total population into asset of the country Representative of the youth handed over their demands with regards to the Punjab youth policy to the provincial minister concerned. The recommendations call for Punjab youth policy to be thoroughly reviewed and redrafted so as to addressing the issues and challenges being faced by uneducated and rural youth as the current version of the policy focuses more on educated and urban youth. The issues of transgender, differently abled and religious minority youth must also be more effectively addressed in Punjab Youth policy. Purpose of the Policy Dialogue was to bring the major stakeholders together to initiate the discussion on the real time challenges faced by youth with regards to employments and entrepreneurship and how the provincial youth policy is addressing those challenges. The dialogue provided a platform to primary actor (youth) and stakeholder including donors, government officials, UN agencies, TVET providers, private sector representatives and members of NGOs/CSOs to discuss and recommend innovative ideas and solution for livelihood enhancement of youth. Country director of Hashoo Foundation Ayesha Khan said that the very name of youth epitomizes hope and optimism. “Our youth’s access to quality education, however, is a structural challenge which needs to be addressed by the major stakeholders. Private and corporate sectors can resolve the issues revolving around youth’s employability. The government just needs to provide the right kind of environment for private sector to flourish,” Ayesha added. Partnership portfolio coordinator of VSO Shahid Khan said that a multi sector approach towards the growing employability concerns in Pakistan is the need of the hour. “VSO, therefore, provides a platform where the government, corporate giants, CSOs and the media can join hands and come up with their valuable inputs to address this issue. This policy dialogue will prove to be a stepping stone in providing direction to the largest demographic segment of our society,” Shahid anticipated. Pakistan’s first transgender news anchorperson Mavia Malik highlighted the plight of her community in social upward mobility. She said it took her immense struggle to reach where she is now. Mavia, and other representatives of transgender youth, demanded from the government to increase job quota for their community. Indus Consortium’s chief executive officer Hussain Jarwar said that despite the multiplicity of problems, it is still right time for government to take some pragmatic steps. “Of the 15 largest countries in the world in terms of population, Pakistan has by far the youngest population. Government should not regard the young population as a burden but an asset. We need to bear in mind that the destiny of nations is in the hands of youth,” Hussain hinted. Members of provincial legislature also expressed their suggestions on capitalizing upon the youth bulge. Member Punjab assembly of the ruling PTI Saadia Sohail Rana termed lack of research centres in Pakistani universities a major reason of country’s scientific and technological backwardness. “Now the current government is committed to establish state-of-the-art research centres in all public sector universities.” Saadia said. PML-N’s lawmaker Bushra Butt stressed upon the need to continue internship program initiated and expanded by the previous government. Former MNA Meena Jafar Leghari emphasized upon the youth not to chase degrees but to chase their passion. Published in Daily Times, January 23rd 2019.