Zardari, Shehbaz stress youth empowerment on World Youth Day

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have highlighted the importance of empowering young people for Pakistan’s future.

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have highlighted the importance of empowering young people for Pakistan’s future.

In their separate messages on World Youth Day, both leaders described the country’s youth as a valuable national asset. They stressed the need to provide young people with education, employment, skills and opportunities to contribute to national development.

President Zardari said empowering young people was an investment in Pakistan’s future. He said the energy, creativity and determination of the country’s youth were among Pakistan’s most valuable assets.

He said quality education, decent employment and innovation were among the common aspirations of young people.

According to the president, around 67% of Pakistan’s population is below the age of 30. He said this made young people the country’s largest human resource.

Zardari also highlighted the role of young women in national development. He said their potential and leadership were essential for Pakistan’s social and economic progress.

The president said the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme was providing young people with opportunities in education, skills development, employment and entrepreneurship.

He urged young people to adopt values of honesty, compassion and tolerance. He said empowering them to play an active role in national development was an urgent need.

Zardari added that a strong, inclusive and prosperous Pakistan could be built through the meaningful participation of young people.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also described the country’s youth as an invaluable asset.

In his message on World Youth Day, the prime minister said this year’s theme was “Different circumstances, shared aspirations.”

He said young people around the world live under different circumstances. However, their dreams, ambitions and hopes for a better future remain similar.

Shehbaz said Pakistani youth were the architects of the country’s bright future. He noted that young Pakistanis had brought recognition to the country in different fields at both national and international levels.

The prime minister said their abilities and full potential were essential for building a prosperous, peaceful and strong Pakistan.

He added that the government’s priorities included using all available national resources to support the mental, physical, intellectual and academic development of young people.