13 November 2004	Saturday	29 Ramazan 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 12: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Culture on Friday announced the outline of the draft Pakistan Youth Policy , 2004 to solicit input from quarters concerned before tabling it to the federal cabinet next month for final approval.

So far, the document is wide open for comments, amendments and suggestions from stakeholders throughout the country, and the ministry will take every possible step to formulate a comprehensive national youth policy, Youth Affairs Minister Senator Mohammad Ali Durrani said.

He unveiled the draft Pakistan Youth Policy, 2004 at the press information department. Secretary, Culture and Youth Affairs Jalil Abbas was also present on the occasion.

The draft policy has been prepared keeping in view the diversified needs of the burgeoning youth population in the country, Mr Durrani said. The ministry is trying its best to develop a consensus before finalizing the draft document with a view to making it acceptable to all quarters concerned, he said.

At present, 60 million population of the country falls in the category of youths, who, under the national policy, will be encouraged to play their role in the country's development, the minister said.

For the policy's effective implementation, the ministry is already in the process to align its departments concerned at federal and provincial levels, he responded to a question.

Talking about the targets of the policy, he said the government wanted to infuse a spirit of patriotism and enlightenment among the youth. It also aims at inculcating care for community, society and country among them, he added.

Another objective of the policy is to provide youths an enabling environment so that they can play their role as politically and socially active citizens. The minister said the policy would also help devise an appropriate, viable and youth-friendly institutional arrangement where youth support and development programmes and initiatives could be initiated collaboratively and cost-effectively.

After considerable thinking, discussion and background research, the ministry has prepared the outline of the proposed Pakistan Youth Policy 2004, he said. The government, after cabinet's approval, wishes to launch the policy on December 25. Anyone can send his/her feedback within two weeks of the receipt of this draft or by November 27.

Pakistan has also declared 2005 as Year of the Youth. It is the first time in 57 years history of the country that youths have been recognized as an entity to be reckon with, Mr Durrani said.

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