‘Focus on quality education, jobs in manifestos’

LAHORE: PILDAT and UNDP Pakistan organised a youth dialogue on democratic and peaceful governance and sustainable development in which representatives of five major political parties of Pakistan engaged with youth representatives in a robust discussion.

It aimed to bring together a cross-section of Pakistan’s youth to interact with key political parties, decision makers including governments, elected representatives, think tanks, citizen groups and media on a number of themes.

Ms Aasiya Riaz, PILDAT, Joint Director, moderated the dialogue. In his welcome address, Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, president, PILDAT, said Pakistan has one of the highest proportions of youth population in the world. He said it is the need of the day to inspire youth to constructively engage in national affairs including political participation through informed voting based on objective review of party pledges.

Responding on behalf of PML-N, Senator Shaheen Khalid Butt said PML-N had created 2 million jobs and aimed to create 3 million more jobs in the coming term, increased proportion of female students and faculty and allocated three billion rupees to support 1300 PhD students. He also claimed that PML N had promoted entrepreneurship to support youth jobs in the country. Ms Faiza Malik of PPP said PPP focused on eradicating ghost schools from Sindh and party’s aim in the future is to improve quality of education, creation of employment and youth development. She reiterated PPP’s promise to introduce vocational training centres to cater to unemployed youth. She also vowed to bring youth to bring recognition to youth through talent hunts. Walid Iqbal from PTI said the party had delivered on the 2013 promises in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including reforms in education, health, police and local government.

Mian Usman Javed of JI stressed on the importance of having gender specific courses which can better cater to youth and empower youth through promoting social entrepreneurship programmes, among others. Rizwan Mumtaz Ali from PML-Q talked about party’s governance performance from 2002-2007 and said party would reconnect its efforts for creation of jobs, youth development and other national issues.

An interactive discussion ensued following main presentation in which young students, academics, media and civil society representatives stressed on the youth voting and the need for continued monitoring of implementation of manifestoes.

Concluding the dialogue, Mujib-ur-Rehman Shami said that the dialogue provided an important opportunity of interaction; such forums should also be facilitated with top leadership of each political party and youth in the future.