Pur Azm Pakistan launched to connect youth with skills and jobs

ISLAMABAD: The government has launched Pur Azm Pakistan through the Prime Minister's Youth Programme (PMYP) in partnership with Unicef and Generation Unlimited (GenU), introducing a national platform aimed at widening young people's access to skills development, employment, entrepreneurship and other economic opportunities.

The organisers said the initiative is intended to respond to a major youth challenge in Pakistan, where nearly 67% of the population is under the age of 30, while an estimated 32 million young people are not in education, employment or training. They said Pur Azm Pakistan will bring together the government, the private sector, development partners and young people to create more routes to training, jobs and business opportunities, particularly for girls and youth from underserved communities.

PMYP Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan said the programme was designed to better connect education, skills and employment through a coordinated national framework. He said the initiative reflected the government's commitment to helping young people find meaningful opportunities and contribute to the country's economic progress.

"Pakistan's young people represent the country's greatest strength and opportunity," he said at the launch.

"Through Pur Azm, we are building a coordinated national system that connects education, skills and employment. This reflects our commitment to ensuring that every young person can access meaningful pathways to opportunity and contribute to national growth and prosperity," he added.

Partnerships and youth transition

Unicef Representative in Pakistan Pernille Ironside said Pakistan had an important opportunity to convert its large youth population into a demographic dividend by building pathways from learning to earning on a broad scale. She described Pur Azm Pakistan as a significant move toward creating the systems and partnerships needed to increase skills and economic opportunities for young people, especially those facing the greatest obstacles.

Speaking at the event, she said: "Pakistan has a historic opportunity to turn its youth population into a powerful demographic dividend by enabling pathways from learning to earning at scale."

"Pur Azm Pakistan is a transformative step towards building the systems and partnerships needed to expand skills and economic opportunity for all young people, especially those facing the greatest barriers," she further said.

The launch also marked the creation of Friends of GenU Pakistan, a platform bringing together businesses that have committed to investing in the future of the country's youth. According to the organisers, the platform will support partnerships in skills development, entrepreneurship, innovation and work-based learning to help young people move more successfully from education into employment.

Generation Unlimited Chief Executive Officer Kevin Frey said Pur Azm Pakistan and Friends of GenU Pakistan showed how the government, businesses and young people could work together on a scalable model for skills, entrepreneurship and employment.

"Pur Azm Pakistan and Friends of GenU Pakistan demonstrate how government, business and young people can come together to build a scalable model for skills, entrepreneurship and employment, positioning the country as a global leader in unlocking youth potential for inclusive economic growth," he said.

Launch events

The launch included a Learn-to-Earn Marketplace featuring youth-led enterprises, innovations and entrepreneurship solutions from across Pakistan. The event highlighted the organisers' focus on showcasing the talent, creativity and potential of young people.

A high-level dialogue titled Bridging Ambition and Opportunity also brought together policymakers, private sector leaders and young people. Participants discussed pathways to digital employment, opportunities in the green economy, skills reform and entrepreneurship.

According to the organisers, Pur Azm Pakistan and Friends of GenU Pakistan are intended to expand access to skills, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for young people across the country, with the goal of helping millions move from learning to earning and contribute to future economic growth.