LAHORE: Provincial Minister for Sports & Youth Affairs Jahangir Khanzada on Monday said that the youth was a valuable asset to the country and the future of Pakistan was inextricably linked with its youth.
Addressing the first two-day international conference at the University of Lahore, he said the youth comprises of 60 percent of the country’s total population and it is crucial to harness their potential in constructive ways for the development of the country, he said while adding that the youth was the architect and builder of its destiny.
The conference was jointly organised by the University of Lahore and the Punjab government. Along with the provincial minister, General Shafaat and chief executive officer (CEO) of the conference Nassem Achakzai were also present on the occasion.
The minister further said that a secure and friendly environment was being provided to the students at schools and colleges, and in order to enable the students to get higher education, scholarships were also being provided under the education endowment fund.
“The Punjab educational endowment fund is a success story and a model of human development that is realising the dreams of many who could never even dare to dream,” said Jahangir.
He said that the “Khadam-e-Punjab Zewar-e-Taleem Programme” had been introduced in the backward areas to improve the enrollment and retention of girl students in public sector schools besides reducing gender disparities and enhancing female participation.
Moreover, the Daanish Schools have been established for both boys and girls for the provision of quality education to even the most neglected segments of the society. He said the Punjab government was providing all-out resources for the development of sports facilities in the province as they were essential for the development of the youth’s mental strength and physical fitness.
“Promotion of sports is given due policy focus not only to positively channelise the energies of our youth, but also to achieve the development goals besides improving our human development index indicators,” he added.
Jahangir said the youth was the stakeholders in the country’s progress and development, and the purpose of organising the youth conference was to gather intellectuals from all four provinces and give them representation in policy formulation.
“Pakistan is a peaceful country and its youth has to projects its positive image at the international level,” he concluded.
While addressing the conference, General Shafaat said that the National Youth Conference was a great effort not only to establish inter-provincial harmony, but to also introduce the role of youth in national development. CEO of the conference Naseem Achakzai briefed the audience about the aims and objectives of the conference and thanked the provincial minister for the government’s cooperation.
