Pakistan is a country that holds strength in the form of youth. Nearly two-thirds of its population is between the ages of 18 and 30, one of the largest youth populations in the world. Youth are the true assets and cornerstone for the development and progress of our beloved country.
The true progress of any nation is based on its education system. By prioritising equal access to quality education and learning, youth can contribute to building a knowledgeable and skilled workforce. By focusing on fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), digital literacy, and technical education, Pakistan can evolve into a knowledge-based economy. On the other hand, this youth can be a blessing to drive the national progress if they are very productive and progressive, or a burden that increases the fragility and insecurity. The key factor is how the nations of the world seriously invest in education and youth development.
There are reports about the lack of skilled labour, while millions of youth wish to work. The only need is to develop the skill sets and training centres that train the youth to such a level to make them very productive and progressive. Schools and colleges often lack teachers and even basic facilities. The graduates from the universities lack the skills demanded by today’s market. However, the prime purpose of education is to build informed citizens, promote tolerance, peace, and increase creativity. Education can be a hope to break cycles of poverty, terrorism, extremism, and other forms of violence by giving the youth proper opportunities to learn, grow, and shine.
There is a need to allocate more and more resources towards education; in addition, industrial alignment with academic institutes should be preferred at any cost. The scale towards the technical and vocational trainings should be expanded; the interventions of the technologies can be increased in the countryside areas to facilitate the people there. If the stakeholders of the country can play their role towards the youth development and are ready to invest in its youth, it will result in a generation capable of creativity, knowledgeable, and true leadership. On the other hand, this can be harmful and fuel uncertainty and instability. The real growth of the youth lies not in academic success; spiritual, social, and mental growth are the necessary elements in making them very productive and progressive.
In this modern technological world, it is very crucial to make the youth of the nation very productive and progressive for the holistic growth and development at the individual, societal, and national levels. To make the youth of the nation very productive and progressive, they must grow intellectually, socially, spiritually, mentally, and personally.
Develop a Sense of Purposeful Life: The youth of the nation must consider the prime objective of their presence on this planet. They have to ponder over the universe why human beings are sent on this earth, what their prime responsibilities are, and what natural talent they have. They must develop purposeful and meaningful goals for their lives. The goals should be specific, achievable, relevant, and time-bound to maintain clarity and direction toward a purposeful life.
Education can be a hope to break cycles of poverty, terrorism, extremism, and other forms of violence by giving the youth proper opportunities to learn, grow, and shine.
Seek Motivation: The youth should seek inspiration in the true sense and spirit from the golden Islamic history and the great personalities who have impacted and added value with their wisdom, knowledge, and resources. To become very productive and progressive, they have to read books on Seerat-un-Nabi (SAAW), history, geography, poetry, great scholarly works by the great leaders, etc. With reading, they have to engage in writing, jogging, and discussion on multiple topics.
Considering the Pillars of Humanity: It is very important and mandatory for the youth to consider and adopt the ethical values and the pillars of humanity, i.e., honesty, love, kindness, helping hands, truthfulness, respectfulness, generosity, and compassion. Youth must be a light in the darkness. They have to be very kind to everyone while becoming the rainbow in someone’s cloud.
Follow the Unique Traits from the Life of the Prophet (PBUH): The youth of the nation should read the life of the Prophet (PBUH) to be successful in their life. According to the Hadees narrated by Hazrat Khadijatul Kubra (S.A), the interpretation is that anyone who adopts the unique traits from the life of the Prophet (PBUH), Allah will never disgrace that person who practices such (Maintain family ties; bear the burdens of the helpless, support the poor, provide hospitality to guests, and assist those who are afflicted with calamities).
Productive and Progressive Approaches: For the youth, this will make the best use of their resources, time, energy, and efforts for the best interest of society. Youth must realise the wisdom, knowledge resources, and social impact that can be used for the comfort and the benefits of others.
The Philosophy of Success: According to some prominent authors and philosophers, i.e., Malcolm Gladwell, Carol Dweck, Stephen R. Covey, Simon Sinek, and Robert Kiyosaki, success is all about covering personal fulfilment, professional achievement, financial independence, a growth mindset, effective leadership, and gaining more freedom and time to enjoy life. On the other hand, in the Islamic perspective, success lies in detaching oneself from worldly desires and fully submitting to Allah. The true success is not merely about worldly achievements but involves the purification of the soul, self-discipline, ethical living, and striving for higher ideals that lead to eternal happiness in the hereafter.
Resilience Approach: Youth must cultivate a resilience approach through setbacks. Life is full of trials and troubles, and the complications, problems, and setbacks are part of life. The youth of this nation must consider the stories of successful people who faced problems and overcame failures. They have to develop resilience approaches in their practical life. It is very important to build perseverance and adaptability to live a productive, peaceful, and contented life.
Avoid Distraction: In this era of a technological world, distractions are incredibly common in terms of social media, mobile phones, endless internet content, and countless forms of entertainment that constantly divert attention, pulling away the youth from tasks and goals. Youth must be committed and dedicated to their goals. The youth of the nation must build a strong relationship with the Holy Book of Allah (The Quran), the Mighty Rope, and the Wise Guide for everyone.
Considering the Value of Time: For youth, managing time is an important trait since it creates a solid basis for future professional success, personal development, and academic accomplishment. Consistency is the key to time management. They must stick to their routine and think that developing these habits will pay off greatly in the long run.
Gratitude and Positivism: The young minds, as they are shaping their perspectives and attitudes towards their lives, must practice gratitude. The practices of gratitude and being positive in every aspect of life not only enhance mental well-being but also inspire a sense of purpose and fulfilment. They must always be in a high state of thankfulness for whatever they have been blessed by the Almighty; it creates a positive outlook in life, fostering contentment, reducing anxiety, and enhancing mental well-being.
The youth are the future of the nation and the most dynamic and important segment of any society. If the youth of any nation are very productive and progressive, they can become the cornerstone and the driving force for the economic and social growth and stability. The role of the youth in this digital era transformed from education and job towards innovation, leadership, and global thinkers. Youth are the backbone of the country and the nation. A great and ideal state has to be concerned about its youth. The progressive and productive youth can be measured by their mindset, skill sets, and behaviour. The productive youth dedicatedly find the opportunities to learn, adapt, shine, and contribute positively towards their communities and across the world.
The writer is a freelance columnist.