ISLAMABAD-Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Wednesday said that the future of the country was linked with development of the youth therefore they must be included in the policy making process of the country.
“The youth would be given chance to make policies of their own needs and benefits,” he said while chairing a high-level policy forum held here to prioritise the youth action agenda.
He said the whole struggle of the Prime Minister was aimed at empowering the youth. 
The minister said reaching out to the 50,000 young people was evidence of success of the Kamyab Jawab Programme. 
The minister said that the government was committed to providing secure and prosperous future to the youth. 
He also praised Usman Dar’s efforts in successfully taking forward the youth programme. 
The meeting was attended by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) leader Usman Dar, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Muhammad Jehanzeb, Parliamentary Secretary for Inter Provincial Coordination Committee Saima Nadeem, Parliamentary Secretary Health Dr Nosheen Hamid and senior officers of various ministries. 
Usman Dar on the occasion said the previous governments had never thought of empowerment of the youth, however, only Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had worked for the youth of the province.
He said the credit of formulating the National Youth Council goes to Prime Minister Imran Khan and Asad Umar also helped us on every level.
“To make youth more independent, the government launched a loan scheme worth of Rs 100 billion out of which Rs 25 billion were allocated for women, Dar added.
He informed that so far, more than 8000 youth had started their own businesses under the scheme and another 8000 youth would get loans to start their businesses by June this year.
For the first time in Pakistan, he said the National Youth Development Index was being framed.
Moreover, he said the government had also launched a job portal titled “NEXT” to provide jobs to the youth.