• Reaffirms support for KP development, welfare of people
• Says govt giving top priority to promoting small, medium enterprises

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday chaired the review meeting of the National Youth Employment Plan and approved the plan to provide youth with training programmes according to market’s and industry’s demand.

The meeting was briefed on the action plan to provide the youth training and employment opportunities through various institutions in the next four years. The prime minister decided to personally chair the monthly review meeting and monitor the implementation of the plan, the Prime Minister’s Office news release said.

Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister said that talented youth are the most valuable asset of the country and the government is empowering and employing them by providing them with vocational training and necessary skills.

He said the government is taking steps to promote export of manpower by providing top quality training to the youth of the country.

During the review meeting, the prime minister directed officials concerned to maintain continuous liaison with local industries for training youth in various sectors and to meticulously consider the demand of international organisations for manpower.

He also directed the officials concerned to establish comprehensive database regarding the skills required in local industries.

The meeting was informed that in the next four years, 2.4 million to six million youth would be assisted annually to gain employment by providing them with vocational training and skills.

The meeting was further infor­med that the market, industries and international manpower consumption are being kept in mind to provide skills and vocational training to the youth.

The meeting was informed that the Digital Youth Hub initiative of the federal government is in the final stages and it would be launched this month. PM Shehbaz appreciated efforts of all relevant ministries and institutions working on the plan.

Smeda meeting

Presiding over a separate meeting of the steering committee of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda), PM Shehbaz said the government is giving top priority for promotion of small and medium enterprises in the country.

On the direction of the prime minister, micro-enterprises have been made part of the SME sector and in this regard, a comprehensive policy is being formulated.

He directed that new skilled manpower should be hired from the market for Smeda.

He said that while adopting a transparent process, a workforce of international standard should be hired in Smeda and their salaries should be paid in accordance with the market rates.

PM Shehbaz said the role of Smeda for the progress of rural economy is crucial and a strategy should be formed for the grant of interest-free loans by Smeda to rural population.

The prime minister ordered that all professional training institutes at the federal level should be merged into one institution.

The meeting was briefed about the ongoing reforms in Smeda.

It was told that on the instruction of the prime minister the representation of private sector is being increased in the Smeda board.

On the instruction of the prime minister, the ministry of commerce and Smeda, the meeting was informed, are working together to identify companies related to exports.

A well-planned performance management framework is being structured in Smeda.

On the direction of the prime minister, Smeda organised 28 seminars and training programmes in which 953 people participated.

The meeting was informed that a financial literacy programme is being started for the SME sector for which the process of induction of experts has been completed.

An export assistance programme is also being started to increase exports of the SME sector.

A legal framework is being prepared for sub-contracting the SME sector for which the process of hiring would be started soon.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for Industry and Production Rana Tanvir Hussain, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar, Chairman of PM Youth Programme Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan and top officials attended the meeting.

KP development

Earlier, PM Shehbaz reaffirmed the federal government’s full support to KP for development and welfare of the people.

“We are committed to the development of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the prime minister said while talking to Pakistan Muslim League-N’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa General Secretary who called on him at the PM House.

Murtaza Javed Abbasi invited the prime minister to visit KP and lay the foundation-stone for an additional interchange on the Hazara Motorway to facilitate the people of Abbottabad and surrounding areas.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2025