PM Shehbaz Inaugurates Digital Youth Hub, Focuses on Youth Empowerment

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the Prime Minister Digital Youth Hub on Thursday, marking it as a pivotal step toward empowering the nation’s youth with modern technology and creating employment opportunities.

Speaking at the event, PM Shehbaz expressed his happiness, saying, “Today is a day of unique happiness.” He emphasized that the future of Pakistan lies in investing in its youth, as they represent the country’s greatest asset. The Prime Minister recalled his tenure as Punjab’s chief minister from 2011 to 2018, during which 400,000 laptops were distributed on merit to help students gain digital access.

“In today’s rapidly evolving world, technological advancement is essential for a nation’s progress,” said PM Shehbaz. He stressed that by providing proper training to the youth, Pakistan could tap into the immense potential of its young population, which would lead to significant national development in a short time.

Youth Training and Employment Initiatives

PM Shehbaz Sharif also announced that he had tasked Rana Mashhood with creating more employment opportunities for the youth. He assured that the government would reduce unnecessary expenses to allocate more funds for youth-focused training programs.

“We need to provide training that directly leads to employment,” the prime minister said, affirming his commitment to ensuring that young people have the resources they need for economic empowerment.

Economic Challenges & IMF Program

On economic matters, the prime minister expressed hope that the current IMF program would be the last one Pakistan needed. While acknowledging that IMF programs provide economic stability, he highlighted that true progress could only be achieved through hard work and self-reliance.

Read more: PM Shehbaz hails successful IMF staff-level agreement for new $1.3bn fund

“We have to change this country’s destiny through hard work, not by relying on loans,” he said, adding that in 2021, banks profited from the depreciation of the rupee. “We developed a plan within a year on how we can improve the economy.”

PM Shehbaz also pointed out recent financial recoveries, noting that Rs34 billion had been added to the national treasury in just three weeks. He shared that tax-related cases worth trillions of rupees had been pending in courts for years, but the government had successfully resolved some, bringing Rs11 billion into the treasury.

Commitment to Economic Independence

Reaffirming his dedication to achieving economic independence for Pakistan, the prime minister vowed to continue fighting for a self-reliant nation. “I will try my best and will not let the nation down,” he assured the public.