RAWALPINDI: Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul on Wednesday said solution to all problems which people were facing lay in education and becoming economically empowered.

She was speaking at the certificate awarding and cheque distribution ceremony held under the Kamyab Jawan Programme at the Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) where she was the chief guest.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar was the guest of honour. FJWU Vice Chancellor Samia Hamid, NAVTTC Executive Director Nasir Khan, deans, heads of departments, senior officials of the Bank of Punjab and First Women Bank were also present.

Ms Gul said the Kamyab Jawan Programme was the government’s flagship project for youth employment which had been launched after consultation with international and national youth experts from public and private sectors.

Usman Dar urges women to reap benefits of Kamyab Jawan Programme

“This programme is based on principles of 3 Es (Employment, Education and Engagement). Youth is our national asset and an agent for true change,” the state minister said, emphasising the importance of giving women a higher status in society and equal opportunities in education and employment.

Special Assistant Usman Dar said the present government had launched a massive drive to sensitise university students about the benefits of the Prime Minister’s Kamyab Jawan Programme, which was aimed at ensuring socio-economic empowerment of the youth through skill development, financial inclusion and civic and political engagement.

He urged women to reap benefits of the programme as 25 per cent of the total allocation was for them, adding that the role of women in national development was crucial.

Mr Dar said Prime Minister Imran Khan was keen to create employment opportunities for the youth and the government would make all-out efforts to empower them.

“The government is providing easy loans and arranging training programmes for the youth to make them self-sufficient instead of relying on government for jobs. They should start their businesses and produce jobs for others too,” he said.

FJWU Vice Chancellor Dr Saima Hamid, in her welcome address, said the prime minister’s vision of Kamyab Jawan Programme was unique in its outlook as it offered multiple opportunities for enhancing the skills of youth under various categories.

She further added that Fatima Jinnah Women University was a proud partner of NAVTTC in conducting training related to artificial intelligence and robotics, advance programming machine learning, system development and application.

She said 100 trainees had registered with the university and 80 had successfully passed the final examination with five already starting their own business.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2021