KARACHI: A key aide to Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Sunday that the process of empowering youth in Sindh had begun and soon the federal government would be reaching out to youngsters of the province in every district.

Wrapping up his almost a week-long visit to Karachi, Special Assistant to PM on Youth Affairs Usman Dar told a press conference: “In the third phase of our youth development programme, we have offered 11,000 scholarships in Sindh.”

“All the hurdles in Kamyab Jawan Programme for Sindh have been removed. The PM has issued very clear directives for the Sindh youth; we are following his vision to empower them in all districts of the province,” he said.

He said the federal government was set to launch Kamyab Pakistan Programme later this month under which up to Rs500,000 interest-free loan would be offered to people across the country. It would, he said, revolutionise the economic development at the grassroots level.

“Under this initiative, we would also help out Sindh traders. We would not abandon the Sindh people and you would see how this programme would change their social and economic status,” added Mr Dar.

Speaking on the occasion, Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh highly appreciated the initiatives launched for youth employment under the umbrella of Kamyab Jawan Program and said that new vistas of career development were opened for the youth.

It was for the first time in the history of Pakistan that confidence was entrusted in youth of the country and they were being assisted to start their own businesses, he said, adding that youth of Sindh should avail business loans being provided in a transparent manner purely on merit.

Mr Sheikh said that Rs5bn was disbursed to 2,819 young entrepreneurs of Sindh so far under the initiative.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2022