Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday inaugurated the fourth phase of the Prime Minister Youth Laptop Scheme 2025, reaffirming his government’s unwavering commitment to investing in education, technology, and skills for the country’s youth.
The event was attended by Chairman Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, senior government officials, students, and alumni of previous laptop schemes.
In his address, the prime minister declared that “today marks a historic day in Pakistan’s journey of youth empowerment.”
He emphasized that the scheme is a continuation of his vision launched in 2010 as Chief Minister Punjab to promote education, fine arts, culture, sports, and information technology. Despite natural calamities like floods, he recalled, “not a single penny was cut from the youth’s development funds because education and empowerment are our top priorities.”
Shehbaz Sharif proudly stated that Pakistan is among the few countries formulating policies for Artificial Intelligence and even stepping into semiconductor manufacturing, adding that the country has a bright technological future.
“The Almighty blessed me with the honour to serve the youth,” he said. “This programme is not for personal glory, but for our young citizens who are the future architects of Pakistan. The new logo, Youth of Pakistan: Making Pakistan Great, reflects that spirit of national pride and merit.”
The prime minister highlighted that over 100,000 laptops have been distributed purely on merit since 2011, with an investment of Rs 40-50 billion. He added that Rs 500 billion is being allocated for youth education, skills, and empowerment, calling it “an investment in the nation’s destiny.”
Prime Minister Sharif revealed that his government is collaborating with Saudi Arabia to provide advanced training in Artificial Intelligence, IT, and modern trades. “Saudi Arabia is building its future and hosting the 2030 International Exhibition and the FIFA World Cup 2034. They need millions of skilled workers, and Pakistan’s youth will be their partners in progress,” he said. He expressed gratitude to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for extending an economic package and offering training opportunities for Pakistani youth.
Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered investigations to identify institutions, companies, and individuals involved in the sales tax fraud.
Chairing a meeting in Islamabad on Thursday on reforms within the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), PM Shehbaz Sharif expressed strong displeasure over past incidents of tax fraud.
He instructed that a forensic audit of the Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL) system be conducted by an international consultancy firm. The investigative committee has been tasked with submitting its report within three weeks.
The Prime Minister also directed strict legal action against those identified in the forthcoming report.
During the meeting, he was briefed on ongoing reforms within FBR, particularly in PRAL.
The briefing outlined several key digital security upgrades already implemented in PRAL, including the Audit Vault, Database Protection Wall, Security Operations Center, continuous database monitoring, and other robust digital safeguards.
The Prime Minister was apprised that the upgraded system now has the capability to log a user’s IP address whenever data is modified, making tax fraud virtually impossible.