The Prime Minister Youth Program was highlighted during a dinner hosted by the Pakistani-American group Stand Vid Pakistan in the Dells, where Syed Zeeshan Naqvi, the program focal person and former deputy mayor of Islamabad, outlined new measures to boost youth employment and entrepreneurship. The event, organized by Sohail Pirzada, drew a large turnout of community leaders and young people who received a warm welcome on arrival.
Naqvi said the Prime Minister Youth Program provides startup support of Rs 300,000 to young entrepreneurs and offers loans of up to Rs 100,000 to cover visa and travel expenses for those seeking overseas employment. He noted that Rs 60 billion has been allocated in the current financial year, and more than Rs 160 billion has been released so far to facilitate millions of youth entering overseas job markets and local opportunities through the digital Youth Hub.
The laptop scheme has been restored to support higher education, with one million laptops scheduled for distribution by October. University grants and scholarships have also been reinstated, and officials expect education access to improve further in the next budget as part of the Prime Minister Youth Program focus on skills and academic support.
Youth sports and cultural programming remain a priority, with national-level athletes including Arshad Nadeem receiving training under the program. Traditional sports initiatives are being organized in Islamabad with the participation of foreign diplomats to raise the profile of Pakistan’s sporting talent on the international stage.
For the first time Pakistan hosted the Chairman of the Commonwealth Youth Alliance Secretariat and the Youth Ministers Task Force, an engagement that Naqvi said will deepen cooperation with Commonwealth countries. He announced a forthcoming Youth Festival that will offer training, job and startup opportunities, and master classes designed to teach world-class skills to young participants.
During a question and answer session attendees pressed for transparent loan distribution, expanded employment opportunities and higher education budgets for study abroad. Naqvi reiterated that the government’s vision through the Prime Minister Youth Program is to provide skills, capital and opportunities to youth, adding that the state can supply resources and pathways but it is now up to young people to take the next steps.
Naqvi invited the Pakistani diaspora to support cultural and sports exchanges and presented shields to community leaders in recognition of their efforts. Those who attended and praised the youth initiatives included Ahmed Siddiqui, Ayaz Syed, Dr Abdul Basit, Raja Zahid, Jalal Haider, Omar Pirzada and Obaid-ur-Rehman Pirzada among others.
