Former Chairman of the Federal Board of Education Islamabad and Speaker Hamdard Shura, Professor Niaz Irfan, and other intellectuals have said that the government should provide avenues for educated and trained youth.
They expressed these views during the monthly meeting of Hamdard Shura on Wednesday, the theme of which was “Pakistan’s Youth Population: Opportunities, Challenges, and Ways to Convert it into a National Force.” The speakers emphasized that the state should provide opportunities for its educated and trained youth to play their role effectively.
Addressing the forum, former Chairman of the Federal Board of Education Islamabad, Professor Niaz Irfan, said that if the young generation follows the ideologies of national figures like Quaid-e-Azam and Shaheed Hakim Mohammed Said, no one can stop Pakistan’s progress. He also called for the complete elimination of the “recommendation culture.”
In a message presented at the meeting, National President of Hamdard Foundation, Sadia Rashid, said that Pakistan’s youth possess immense knowledge, passion, and creativity but need opportunities and guidance. She highlighted that their talents need to be honed so they can become a part of national development.
Sadia Rashid identified the quality of education, lack of employment opportunities, economic instability, mental stress, and social issues as daily challenges faced by the youth. She stressed that tackling these obstacles is not just an individual but a collective responsibility.
Other intellectuals, including Professor Zahid Ali Qureshi, Tariq Shaheen, and Salma Qaiser, emphasized the urgent need to harness the potential of the youth. They collectively stressed that it is crucial to provide a supportive environment for the youth to play a meaningful role in the nation’s development.
There was a consensus among the speakers that if Pakistan successfully channels the potential of its youth in the right direction, this population will become a strong foundation for economic growth and social stability, rather than just remaining a statistical reality.