Rana Mashood Calls for Stronger Youth Engagement to Drive Economic Growth

By: Aziz Khatri

 Karachi: Rana Mashood Ahmad Khan, Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Program (PMYP), emphasized the need for stronger youth engagement, skill development, and access to financing to drive Pakistan’s economic growth and ensure long-term stability.

Speaking during his visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), he noted that nearly 70 percent of Pakistan’s population—around 170 million people—comprises youth, making them the country’s most valuable asset.

Rana Mashood highlighted that effectively engaging this large segment of the population in productive activities remains a significant challenge. However, he stressed that success in this area could yield substantial economic benefits, while failure could lead to serious socio-economic issues.

He explained that the PMYP is currently structured around the “4Es” framework—Education, Engagement, Environment, and Employment—ensuring that all initiatives are aligned with these core pillars.

Referring to a key initiative, he said that Pakistan’s first Digital Youth Hub has been launched to connect young people with opportunities. He urged chambers of commerce across the country, including KCCI, to actively participate by registering on the platform.

According to him, approximately 800,000 young individuals are already registered on the Digital Youth Hub, while more than 4,000 organizations—both local and international—are linked to the system, offering over 100,000 job opportunities in Pakistan and abroad. Additionally, more than 3,000 scholarships in various educational and technical fields are available through the platform.

He further noted that the system uses artificial intelligence to provide guidance on education, employment, and even sports opportunities, with data updated on a daily basis.

Highlighting another flagship initiative, Rana Mashood discussed the Prime Minister Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme, stating that loan disbursement has increased significantly—from Rs80 billion between 2013 and 2024 to Rs200 billion last year, with plans to raise it further to Rs250 billion in the current year.

He pointed out that each loan issued under the scheme generates an average of 3.3 jobs, making it a key driver of employment and entrepreneurship. He also advised KCCI to establish a facilitation center to guide youth in accessing financing and completing required procedures.

Rana Mashood also shared that Pakistan’s first Youth Employment Policy has been approved, which aims to ensure at least 35 percent participation of women in the workforce. He emphasized that meaningful inclusion of women is essential for national development.

He added that work is underway on the country’s first National Adolescent and Youth Policy, which categorizes youth into three age groups—10–15, 15–19, and 19–29 years—to address their specific educational and socio-economic needs.

Earlier, Senior Vice President KCCI Muhammad Raza welcomed the PMYP Chairman and stressed that empowering youth is essential for sustainable economic growth. He noted that initiatives focusing on entrepreneurship, skill development, and access to finance are crucial in transforming young individuals into job creators.

Muhammad Raza proposed enhanced collaboration between PMYP and KCCI to facilitate internships, apprenticeships, and startup incubation programs. He also emphasized the need to align industry requirements with youth training initiatives to ensure practical and market-relevant skills.

He assured KCCI’s full cooperation in supporting the Prime Minister’s Youth Program and expressed optimism that strengthened collaboration would significantly contribute to Pakistan’s economic progress and prosperity.