Pakistan to launch first National Youth Employment Policy

Pakistan is set to launch its first National Youth Employment Policy on August 12, 2026, in Islamabad. The initiative, part of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, aims to create employment pathways by connecting young people with industry-aligned skills and opportunities.

The launch event at the Jinnah Convention Centre will coincide with International Youth Day and include the introduction of a National Youth Job Fair, a National Youth Innovation Programme, a Skills Ambassador Programme, and the Prime Minister’s Youth Excellence Awards. Additionally, the government plans to designate 2027 as the ‘Year of Skills’ to emphasize technical and professional development.

In messages marking the occasion, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the importance of the country’s youth, noting that approximately 67 percent of the population is under the age of 30. President Zardari highlighted the need for quality education, dignified employment, and support for women’s leadership, while Prime Minister Sharif noted the government's focus on the mental and physical development of the younger generation.