akistan is often referred to as an “orange country,” a term used to describe nations where the youth population comprises a majority of the overall demographic. With more than 60 percent of the population under the age of 30, Pakistan stands at a critical juncture in its history. The youth of today will shape the future of the country. To realise their full potential, it is crucial that the policies shaping their lives are robust, inclusive and reflective of their needs and aspirations.

The Pakistani youth face myriad challenges including high unemployment rates, a lack of opportunities for skill development, limited access to quality education and social isolation. In 2023, the youth unemployment rate stood at around 9.65 percent, with around 4.5 million individuals unemployed. The highest occurrence (11.1 percent) of unemployment was among those aged 15-24 years.

Additionally, Pakistan has one of the world’s lowest literacy rates. Only 68 percent of children complete primary education. There are approximately 22.8 million out-of-school children, the second-largest out-of-school youth population globally. Mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, are also on the rise, with an estimated 24 million people in Pakistan requiring psychiatric assistance. 19-34 percent of young people experience socio-emotional problems.

A study analysing newspaper reports identified 289 suicides among children and adolescents over a two-year period, often linked to domestic conflicts and relationship issues. These challenges are exacerbated by economic instability and social pressures. In the absence of targeted policies, these issues will continue to grow, preventing young people from reaching their full potential.

The question arises whether young people are a part of the process of shaping the policies that impact their lives? Unfortunately, the answer is often no. While youth issues are frequently discussed by governments and civil society organisations, the youth themselves are rarely at the table when decisions are made. This is where the need for youth policies becomes most evident.

Youth policies are critical frameworks that guide governments, institutions and communities in addressing the diverse needs of young people. These policies aim to create a comprehensive and inclusive environment for youth development, integrating multiple sectors such as education, employment, health, political engagement and social inclusion.

In Pakistan, provincial youth policies—developed after the 18th Amendment—focus on empowering the youth through enhanced economic opportunities, fostering civic engagement and ensuring equitable access to education and health services. The Punjab Youth Policy 2012, for instance, underscores the importance of public-private partnerships, volunteerism and leadership development, ensuring that young people, regardless of gender, socio-economic background or geographic location, can contribute meaningfully to national progress.

By positioning the youth as a national dividend, these policies aim to mobilise young people as active citizens and contributors to economic and social development, rather than passive recipients of government initiatives.

This recognition of the youth as a critical segment in national development has been a gradual process in Pakistan’s policy landscape. While governments and policymakers have long acknowledged the importance of youth participation, it was not until June 1989 that a Youth Affairs Division was established at the federal level. It still took 20 years to formulate the first National Youth Policy in 2009.

Before the NYP was introduced, several ministries and organisations worked in isolation on youth-related programmes. Efforts to formulate a comprehensive youth policy began as early as 1989, with drafts prepared in 1993, 2002 and 2004. However, these drafts either failed to reach the cabinet or did not lead to any significant policy action.

While governments and policymakers have long acknowledged the importance of youth participation, it was not until June 1989 that a Youth Affairs Division was established at the federal level.

The 2002 draft marked a turning point in that it was the first to incorporate input from civil society organisations, provincial youth departments and student groups through consultative workshops. This process laid the groundwork for the 2004 draft and eventually led to the adoption of the first National Youth Policy in 2009.

However, this did not immediately translate into an integrated approach to youth development. The landscape shifted again in 2010 with the passing of the 18th Amendment, which abolished the Ministry of Youth Affairs and devolved youth-related matters to the provinces.

As a result, youth departments were established in all four provinces—the Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan—as well as in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan regions. Each of these was tasked with formulating and implementing its own youth policy.

The federal government retained authority over international affairs, foreign aid and inter-provincial coordination. The Economic Affairs Division in Islamabad was designated to manage international agreements and youth aid programmes. Meanwhile, initiatives such as the National Internship Programme and the National Volunteer Movement were placed under the Establishment Division. Youth hostels and centres in Islamabad Capital Territory fell under the Interior Division.

The devolution of youth affairs presented both opportunities and challenges. While it allowed the provinces to design tailored policies, the absence of a federal ministry created a gap in nationwide coordination. This shift made the role of civil society organisations even more critical. In Pakistan, organisations like the UNFPA and Bargad have played a vital role in advocating for youth rights and pushing for youth-inclusive policies.

With youth affairs now decentralised, the federal government launched broader initiatives to complement provincial efforts. One of the most ambitious youth-focused programmes in Pakistan’s history was the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, introduced in 2013 and chaired by Maryam Nawaz, now the Punjab chief minister.

This initiative aimed to provide young people with greater access to economic opportunities and skill development through various schemes, including Youth Business Loans to support entrepreneurship; Youth Training Schemes for skill-building; Laptop Distribution Schemes to enhance education; and Fee Reimbursement Programmes for students from underprivileged areas.

From 2015 to 2018, international engagement in youth development also increased significantly. Organisations such as the UNFPA and the UNICEF collaborated with the Ministry of Planning and Development to integrate youth perspectives into Pakistan’s Vision 2025 agenda. Pakistan also participated in global youth summits, reinforcing its commitment to Sustainable Development Goals 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and 4 (Quality Education), further emphasising the need for comprehensive and inclusive youth development strategies.

With the establishment of the National Youth Council in 2018 and the Committee on Youth Affairs headed by current PMYP chairman, Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, Pakistan took a step towards greater youth representation in national decision-making.

But how can these platforms truly serve the interests of young people across the country? The key lies in ensuring that future National Youth Policy and National Youth Forum build upon the work already done at the provincial level. Since the 18th Amendment, youth affairs have been largely decentralised, leading to the development of provincial youth policies and departments that address region-specific challenges.

Shouldn’t a national framework acknowledge, integrate and enhance these provincial efforts? A cohesive and collaborative approach—one that bridges national and provincial initiatives, strengthens existing policies and creates synergies across all levels of governance—is the only way to ensure that Pakistan’s youth development strategy is inclusive, effective and sustainable.

The writer, as executive director of Bargad, has pioneered youth policies in Pakistan. She can be reached on Instagram at @pherountal.