ISLAMABAD   -   Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan has said that one million smartphones would be given to youth on easy instalments to equip them with the latest tools of technology. Addressing a news conference here on Friday, he said that in addition to the provision of one lac laptops annually, the government would give 1.5 lacs laptops to students under the “Laptop for All” scheme during the year. Rana added that interviews for 100 members of the National Youth Council (NYC) had been completed, adding 7000 to 9000 young applicants had applied for the government’s National Youth Council.  He informed that that Prime Minister Shehbaz would soon announce the establishment of NYC which will offer non-partisan advice to the Prime Minister and would advocate for youth development and engagement in governance.  He said the government will also launch a National Youth Policy and National Youth employment policy with consultation of youth within a month. Rana added that last year around one lac youngsters had participated in the Prime Minister Youth Talent Hunt Program and it was expected that as many as 1 to 2 million youth would attend the talent hunt event in the next year.The Chairman PMYP said that the positive indicators show the remarkable achievements of the present government in every sector and the country is moving in the right direction.

He said that Pakistan’s position at the global level had been strengthened and agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the trust of international financial institutions and big powers reflected the best economic policies of the govt that the country was advancing towards the path of development.