Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formally launched Pakistan’s first National Youth Employment Policy, an initiative aimed at creating greater employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for young people across the country. The launch took place at a ceremony marking International Youth Day in Islamabad, hosted by Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan at the Jinnah Convention Centre.
Speaking at the ceremony, the prime minister announced a 35 percent quota for women in the labour force, alongside a 10 percent annual quota for young startups, framing both measures as steps toward ensuring greater inclusivity and innovation within the country’s workforce. The startup quota in particular signals a deliberate policy effort to reserve a defined share of economic opportunity specifically for youth led ventures, rather than leaving startup growth to develop without targeted government support.
Shehbaz Sharif described the present era as one driven by artificial intelligence, information technology and broader technological change, warning that without incorporating the latest knowledge in these fields into daily life, young people would struggle to compete with developed nations. He said the government would commit all available resources to provide youth with opportunities to excel across different fields, following access to quality education at internationally recognised institutions.
The prime minister reaffirmed his government’s commitment to equipping young people with modern technological and skill based education, and stressed the importance of equal educational opportunities for talented and deserving students regardless of economic background. He referenced the establishment of Danish schools in Punjab during his earlier tenure as Chief Minister, describing plans to expand that network across the country as part of a broader effort to reduce disparity in access to quality education between wealthier and poorer segments of society.
As part of the announcement, Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that a new Danish University is being established in Islamabad, with its first academic session set to begin next year. The institution is planned as a technology focused university open to deserving and talented students, adding a higher education component to the broader Danish schools initiative. The prime minister closed his address by encouraging young people to actively build their own future rather than wait for it, framing the newly launched policy as a foundation for that effort.
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