RECENTLY, Hina Rabbani Khar became the first woman and the youngest parliamentarian in Pakistan’s history to hold the post of foreign minister. Her appointment came in the run-up to the Pakistan and India foreign ministers’ meet this Wednesday.

But was anyone interested in the upcoming bilateral encounter, an important step towards consolidating the India-Pakistan dialogue that could have massive implications for Pakistan’s future security and economic prospects? No. They were all too busy talking about the new foreign minister’s age and gender.

By now, Pakistanis know how to disregard the international media’s to-do about prominent female politicians rising to power in this country. Khar’s appointment is not a demonstration of the PPP government’s liberalism and progressive attitude. It is merely a reiteration of fraught, internal party dynamics and the primacy of the feudal system that offers Khar more legitimacy in her new role than merit or experience ever could. So much for the gender part.

It was saddening, however, to see how much was made of Khar’s youth. Innumerable, anonymous diplomatic sources and retired politicians warned the world of her green immaturity. Of course, for anyone even mildly attuned to Pakistan’s evolving realities, Khar’s youth may be the attribute that recommends her most highly, both on the domestic and international stage.

At 34, Khar is 13 years older than the median age of the Pakistani population as a whole. Fifty-nine per cent of all Pakistanis are below the age of 24, and the under-30 tally of the population is a whopping 67.1 per cent. We are a young country, why shouldn’t we have young representatives?

Khar’s foreign ministerial responsibilities will consume most of her time in the coming months. She is walking into a minefield of foreign relations: ties with Washington are fraying; relations with India are at a critical juncture, equally liable to mend or bend; the conflict in Afghanistan is snapping at Pakistan’s heels; China’s foreign policymakers are looking well beyond Islamabad to the rest of the world; and Central Asia needs to be wooed, not only in the context of an endgame in Afghanistan, but also for energy resources.

As Khar navigates these rough political waters, she must remain aware of an added responsibility: to use the very fact of her youth to rehabilitate the image and concept of politics in the opinion of Pakistan’s young, huge, and thoroughly disillusioned population.

Youth surveys conducted in 2009 (by the British Council, Herald magazine and the Centre for Civic Education) revealed the extent to which Pakistan’s youngsters are disappointed in their political system and elite. Nearly half the youth do not vote, 40 per cent have no confidence in the utility of their vote, 78 per cent actively reject politics and less than 10 per cent support government institutions. More to the point, less than one per cent considers active political participation as a desirable goal. The way in which young politicians such as Khar conduct themselves could help improve these dire statistics. They could serve as role models for those youth who are politically inclined, and eager to see their fresh perspectives as assets rather than liabilities.

The appeal of the young politician is undeniable. Around the world, young politicians have swept to power by being the top choice of young voters. US President Barack Obama was 47 years old at the time of his inauguration, and he won critical states thanks to the votes of 18- to 29-year-olds. Last year, David Cameron, at 43, became the youngest British prime minister in the past 198 years, while his deputy, Nick Clegg, also 43, led his party back into government for the first time in 65 years. In India, during the 2009 election, 20-somethings rushed to Congress offices across the country, claiming election tickets — the press termed it the ‘Rahul effect’

In strong democracies, young politicians are valued for their stamina, gumption and for their ability to mobilise and motivate other youngsters. It is high time that Pakistan, with its youth bulge, caught on to the trend.

Rather than scoff at Khar’s age, then, older and more experienced politicians and members of the bureaucratic elite should mentor her, ensuring that she performs better than they ever did, having learned from their mistakes. But we are all cynical enough to know that this will never happen. Rather than be groomed as a true politician, Khar will, at best, be handed instructions as to what policies she must parrot.

Indeed, politics is dirty business. But the failure to provide mentorship, encouragement and guidance for youth is a problem that plagues all aspects of Pakistani society. At universities and workplaces, youngsters remain hungry for advice, tips, and direction. But they rarely get the benefit of their elders’ — or teachers’, or bosses’ — wisdom.

By the simple virtue of the fact that my email appears at the end of this column, I (like many others) receive frequent emails from youngsters seeking validation of their choices, advice on their career trajectories and input on their big ideas. Why is such feedback not more forthcoming for them on a daily and more immediate basis?

Perhaps it’s because our social mores require us to respect our elders, and not the other way around. Or perhaps it’s because too many Pakistanis think that guidance and encouragement are familial — rather than societal — issues, whereby one works on the assumption that a youngster is best counselled by his or her parents or family members. Whatever the reason, experienced Pakistanis are failing the nation’s youth — whether they be hapless students or newly appointed foreign ministers. Without taking young Pakistanis seriously, we can barely dare hope for better.

The writer is a freelance journalist. huma.yusuf@gmail.com