Islamabad, August 12, 2026: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said Pakistan was still “far” from becoming a social welfare state, which he described as the original purpose behind the creation of the country.
Addressing an event in Islamabad to mark International Youth Day 2026, the prime minister said providing equal opportunities to young people was essential for building a prosperous and inclusive Pakistan.
The premier also inaugurated several youth-focused initiatives, including the Power Sector Innovation Programme, National Youth Employment Policy and Skills Ambassador Programme.
Under the National Youth Employment Policy, Shehbaz announced that a 35 per cent quota would be allocated for women in the labour force. He also said a 10 per cent quota would be specified annually for startups to facilitate young people in launching their own businesses.
The prime minister highlighted the role of education in reducing socioeconomic disparities, citing the Daanish Schools initiative as an effort to provide quality education to talented students regardless of their financial background.
Recalling his tenure as Punjab chief minister, Shehbaz said he had established Daanish Schools to improve access to quality education for children from underprivileged families.
He contrasted the educational opportunities available to children of affluent families with those faced by millions of children who lack access even to basic education.
According to the prime minister, thousands of Daanish School graduates have gone on to become doctors, engineers and teachers. He described the progress made through the programme as a realisation of the vision of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for Pakistan.
Addressing students attending the event, Shehbaz said young people constituted the largest segment of Pakistan’s population and warned that failing to equip them with essential skills would have serious consequences.
The prime minister said the federal budget also included allocations for youth empowerment and development. He announced that, as in the previous year, 1,000 high-achieving students would be sent to China for agricultural education.
He added that high-performing students would also be given state-funded opportunities to study information technology and artificial intelligence in China.
Shehbaz further announced the establishment of what he described as “Pakistan’s top university”, to be named Daanish University, with a focus on technology education.
He said education at the proposed university would be provided free of cost and admissions would be based solely on merit.
The prime minister also announced that 250,000 high-achieving students across Pakistan would receive Chromebook laptops this year under the government’s youth-focused initiatives.
Recalling the launch of his laptop programme during his tenure as Punjab chief minister, Shehbaz said the initiative had initially faced criticism but ultimately helped young people access greater educational and professional opportunities.
“I promise that until Allah has given me the responsibility to serve the nation, I will do everything in my power for your prosperity and employment,” he told the students.
“Our ancestors built Pakistan in 1947, and the Pakistan of 2047 will be built by your vision and energy,” he added.
Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan also addressed the gathering and highlighted government efforts to expand opportunities for young people.
He praised Shehbaz for initiatives launched during his tenure as Punjab chief minister and commended his leadership, saying that Pakistan was making progress and that the country’s youth would play a central role in its future development.
