For the first time in the country’s history, Prime Minister Imran Khan has established the National Youth Council.
According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, Imran will be the patron-in-chief and Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar will be the chairman of the 33-member youth council.
Influential persons in the fields of sports, education, religion, economy, arts and culture and the Pakistan Army have also been made part of the council.
Major Tanvir Shafi, a veteran soldier who had fought in Operation Zarb-e-Azb, is amongst the prominent members of the council.
Cricketers Hassan Ali and Sana Mir; artists Hamza Ali Abbasi and Mahira Khan; K-2 climber Samina Beg and differently-abled Muniba Mazari have been made part of the council to play their active role.
Shazia Batool, an artist hailing from Balochistan, national footballer Karishma Ali and first she-male news anchor Marvia Malik have also been selected for membership of the youth council.
Besides, all provincial ministers for youth affairs (from four provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan) have been included in the council.
“The council’s agenda will be uplifting youths for development and prosperity… Youths will be added to the decision-making process at the national level,” Buzdar said, adding that the council would coordinate and work jointly with provincial governments and the federal government.
He also said that following the instructions of PM Imran Khan, he had assumed the responsibility of youth welfare eight months ago.
Prime Minister’s Youth Affairs Programme will also launch a National Youth Development Index by conducting a comprehensive survey of issues facing the youth across the country.
According to an official, the survey will help highlight the issues of youth and make a comprehensive national-level strategy to address them with input from stakeholders concerned.
Buzdar said it would be a door-to-door survey to dig out problems of the youth in various sectors, including education and health. He said the main objective of the plan was to give maximum benefit to the country’s youth.
