Pakistan is blessed with a large pool of talented youth graduating every year from different universities. We are producing geniuses and hard working youngsters who are enthusiatic about their professional growth to serve the nation well. According to estimates in 2006, the number of people between the age bracket of 19-30 is increasing rigorously and by 2030, Pakistan’s total population will superceed population of majority of Muslim countries in the world.

Therefore, the mechanism of channelising the potential of this youth is extremely important. There are various inniciatives by governments, NGOS, foreign and local organisations to provide effective services to this pool. Many youth development programs are currently working in Pakistan at national, international and community level to harness the skills in different fields.

United Nations SecretaryGeneral, Ban Ki-moon said, "Skills development reduces poverty and better equips young people to find decent jobs. It triggers a process of empowerment and self-esteem that benefits everyone."

Following the resolve to serve youth well, United Nations celebrates July 15th as the World Youth Skills Day to achieve better socioeconomic conditions for today’s youth as a means of addressing unemployment and underemployment.

Therefore the federal government has formulated a National Youth Policy which works on the principles of reinforcing sense of pride, awareness and motivation among the youth. In doing so, the government will develop a desire to compete with the world and desires to learn lessons from achievements and errors of others. The government will also promote national integration by harnessing the youth dividend. It will undertake target oriented programmes for development of new and existing skills to cater for the need of youth in speicific area/region. In doing so, it is providing micro financing, internships, job opportunities for the youth. It is also promoting sports and recreational facilities at all administrative levels. The Social Volunteerism Youth program has encouraged them to undertake voluntary social service. For academic and intellectual development, through different scholarship programmes youth are provided with opportunities to carry out higher secondary, under graduate and graduate level studies abroad and within Pakistan.

National Youth Award is another initiative where nominations are solicited from various institutions as well as through national advertisements to award youth in the fields of academics, social work, outstanding achievements of national importance, inventions, innovations, bravery, dedication, art and culture etc.  The government has reserved a quota for female candidates for employment in public sector.

Moreover, participants from all over the country are invited to come together for organized visits to various areas. The participants live and get together as they see sites of historical importance, explore the life, history and natural endowments and meet leaders in various walks of life. These programmes are based on selection of youth on merit from various regions of the country so that the objective of cross cultural learning is achieved. Corporations and leading companies are invited to set up stalls to exhibit their products and business practices giving the youth an opportunity to interact with them and build relations.

The government has enabled visits of students in local institutions to venues of interest, museums and monuments etc. For this purpose resources are made available through Ministry of Youth Affairs to public sector educational institutions, to undertake such activities. Different competitions are arranged interschool, inter college and inter universities debates and conventions etc: To promote such activities, Ministry of Youth Affairs provides resources to public sectors.

However, there is a great need to enhance the existing programmes of skill development and vocational training in the country as it has a tremendous potential to provide employment to our youth in rural and urban areas as well as the job market abroad. We need to take personal and small scale initiatives and should not rely entirely on the government. People have to play their part in the professional growth of fellow country men and that is only possible if we love our country and its citizens.

Published in Young Nation magazine on July 16, 2016 issue.