Pakistan | News Desk
ISLAMABAD — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday formally launched Pakistan’s first National Youth Employment Policy, announcing new targets for women’s participation in the workforce and youth-led startups as his government seeks to tackle unemployment through skills, technology and entrepreneurship.
Speaking at an International Youth Day ceremony in Islamabad, Shehbaz announced a 35% target for women’s participation in the labour force along with a 10% annual quota for young startups, placing inclusion and entrepreneurship at the center of the new employment framework.
The policy establishes a coordinated national framework intended to connect young Pakistanis with employment, technical training, entrepreneurship and emerging economic sectors.
35% Target for Women
One of the policy’s most significant commitments is increasing women’s participation in the workforce.
The government says women must have greater access to skills, jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities if Pakistan is to fully use the economic potential of its young population.
The policy also seeks to connect education and vocational training more closely with actual demand in the labour market.
10% Annual Quota for Young Startups
Shehbaz also announced a 10% annual quota for youth-led startups, aimed at encouraging young Pakistanis to become employers and entrepreneurs rather than relying exclusively on traditional jobs.
The initiative builds on existing government youth-financing programs. During July-February of FY2026, the Prime Minister’s Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme disbursed Rs58 billion to 114,815 beneficiaries, generating more than 359,000 employment opportunities, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey.
AI and Technology Move to the Center
The prime minister placed particular emphasis on artificial intelligence, information technology and modern technical education, arguing that Pakistani youth will struggle to compete internationally without skills suited to a technology-driven global economy.
The government simultaneously launched the Skill Ambassador Programme and National Power Sector Innovation Programme, expanding the youth initiative beyond conventional employment into skills development and innovation.
A National Framework, Not Just Another Scheme
The National Youth Employment Policy is designed differently from a standalone loan or training program.
Government documents describe it as a whole-of-government framework, bringing federal and provincial stakeholders together through a National Coordination Committee and matching different groups of young people with relevant career pathways.
That means its success will ultimately depend on implementation across multiple institutions rather than a single ministry.
Why It Matters
Pakistan has run youth loan, laptop and skills programs for years. The significance of the new policy is the attempt to bring employment, entrepreneurship, technology and training under a single national strategy.
The 35% women’s participation target and 10% startup quota give the policy measurable ambitions.
But announcing targets is the easier part.
The real test will be whether Islamabad can turn those commitments into sustainable private-sector jobs, successful businesses and marketable skills — and whether young Pakistanis outside major cities receive the same opportunities as those in established economic centers.
For a country with a large young population, the outcome will matter far beyond employment figures: Pakistan’s ability to convert its youth into a productive workforce will help determine its long-term economic trajectory.