“In conversation with Youth On Youm E Pakistan” – Webinar Points Out Lack of Opportunities in Country

Islamabad: 23 March 2022 – Muhammad Athar Javed, DG Pakistan House has said that youth is the backbone of any nation. Youth can play an important and vital role in the improvement and development of the country. But this young and able workforce is not being given the chance to shine. Unfortunately, there is a lack of opportunities, professional training institutes and awareness for youth in the country.

He stated this in a webinar “In conversation with Youth On Youm E Pakistan” held on 23 March that is Pakistan Day by the think tank Pakistan House.

Athar Javed further noted that educated youth is unemployed, they are unable to participate in the country’s development because there is no quality education, we have to work on it and make Pakistan a great nation. We need different reforms in different sectors starting from education.

As a moderator Hamna Seyyed, Research associate at Pakistan House explained the importance of 23rd March, Pakistan Day or Pakistan Resolution Day, also Republic Day is a national holiday in Pakistan primarily commemorating the adoption of the first Constitution of Pakistan during the transition of the Dominion of Pakistan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on 23 March 1956 making Pakistan the world’s first Islamic republic.

Zeeshan Bajwa, Research Associate Pakistan House Rida Hasnain Shah, Child Counselor at Froebel’s International, Rizwan Ali, A graduate of Peace and Conflict Studies from National Defense University (NDU), Hadiyah Seyyed, Muhammad Sami Ullah, a social activist and skilled Entrepreneur, Noor Asjad, advisor to the chairman at Pak Youth Force, Ahmad Sani, research fellow at PTV, Khuzaema Gauhar Siddiqui, Business consultant & Couch, Ezba Walayat Khan, Research Associate Pakistan House attended the webinar as speakers.

The voices of youth were heard in many ways ranging from mainstream social media websites to more innovative approaches including direct consultation, art competitions, video messages, radio shows, the Razakaar programme, the Your Idea Counts campaign and the Pakistan campaign involving young leaders. An interesting addition to the report is a set of Jawan ideas, which are policy recommendations from the youth for the youth. The drivers of change that can empower youth and harness their potential for human development were also discussed.

Forming a massive proportion i.e. 64.9% of the total population in Pakistan is comprised of young people. These youngsters are an asset to Pakistan; however, their problems are widely overlooked. An alarming increase of mental health problems among the young-population is sadly the most neglected area in health care field. Out of every three individuals, one is suffering from common mental health disorder. The real agony lies in the insensible social stigmatization of mental health problems in our country. We need to focus on these issues seriously for the betterment of youth.

Good nations always learn from their mistakes. Pakistan has a huge human resource, we have millions of young minds in Pakistan who can make country proud at national and international level. Youngsters are needed to adopt goal oriented approach for social, political and economic growth of the country. Pakistan came into being as a vision and goal of Quaid e Azam and Iqbal to achieve and make a separate independent homeland for Muslims. It is necessary, that Youth must consider the importance of independent state and their role and responsibilities towards Pakistan for greater cause.

Apart from that, Government should play its due role in facilitating youth, providing them with basic right to education and involving them in decision making. Youth can serve their society and nation by embracing ethical and moral values, sense of responsibility and voluntarism in this way future of Pakistan can transform in the right and positive way.