Islamabad: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to equipping the country’s youth with modern technology and artificial intelligence (AI) skills, saying it is essential for them to compete globally.
In his message for International Youth Day, the prime minister hailed Pakistani youth as the driving force of economic growth, praising their determination, courage, and resilience.
Sharif said the federal government was implementing both policy-level and practical measures to enhance the education, expertise, and professional capacity of young people.
“Equipping the youth with full knowledge of modern technology and artificial intelligence is a top priority of the federal government,” he said, adding that the National Artificial Intelligence Policy 2025 would help young people harness technology in line with the demands of the modern era.
He cited programs including the Youth Skill Development Programme, Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme, information technology (IT) training, internships, and student loans to boost youth capacity and entrepreneurship.
The prime minister also commended youth volunteers for their role in addressing local challenges and assisting communities during emergencies and natural disasters, noting that the government had launched the Uraan Pakistan initiative to provide community-level platforms for young people.
Sharif urged all stakeholders, including federal and provincial governments, parents, teachers, and community leaders, to work together to prepare the young generation as custodians of Pakistan’s cultural values and guarantors of an economically strong, technologically advanced future.
The International Youth Day is commemorated every year on Aug. 12, bringing youth issues to the attention of the international community and celebrating the potential of youth as partners in today’s global society.
