No large oil, gas reserves but youth real asset of Pakistan: Shehbaz

LAHORE: Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) President Shehbaz Sharif has said the country has no big oil and gas reserves but its young generation is its real asset.

“We have no oil or gas but our asset is the young generation. 60pc of Pakistan’s population consist of youth. If the youth is not properly guided, it will become a big challenge.”

Talking to a group of young people on challenges and future of Pakistan on Wednesday, he said the youth are Pakistan’s real asset and “if we provide them with right direction, all the past deprivations will end”.

He said the country had great expertise in the field of information technology. “If the PMLN makes government after Feb 8 elections, its priority will be higher education for youth to help them play an active role in IT sector,” he added.

The PMLN president said universities and industry must go side by side and the next government would have to expand the scope of small and medium enterprises. He said it was the duty of every government to solve the problems of Balochistan. “Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan geographically. We have to work hard for it. If there is no unity and agreement, then the nation cannot develop,” he added. “Climate change is a big challenge for us. There is no rain even in the month of January. In 2022, there was flood due to climate change,” he added.