KARACHI: Youngsters discussed critical issues pertaining to education, employment, technology and social change at the three-day Youth Conference that began here on Friday.

The conference, organised by the provincial sports department at the Youth Club in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, was inaugurated by Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Bakhsh Mahar.

Speaking at the inaugural session, the sports minister described the forum as a movement to prepare the youth for a rapidly changing world.

He highlighted that Sindh has better facilities and talent compared to other provinces, and efforts are being made to bring the youth together, as they represent a significant force.

‘Sindh’s own cricket board’

According to a press release, the minister also announced his plan to form the province’s own cricket board, citing the lack of merit-based opportunities for Sindh’s cricketers at the national level.

Sindh to form its own cricket board if province’s players are not given their due rights, announces sports minister

He stated that if Sindh’s cricketers are not given their due rights based on merit, the provincial government will establish its own cricket board.

He said that cricket was not limited to Punjab or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as it is also thriving in Sindh. “However, cricketers from Sindh who aspire to join the national team often remain sidelined.”

The minister also expressed the hope for a grand welcome to the Champions Trophy.

At different sessions, journalists Wusatullah Khan, Amber Shamsi, academic Anila Amber Malik, intellectual Naseer Memon, singer Saif Samejo and others shared their thoughts and proposed various solutions to the challenges faced by the youth.

Speaking at the session on the challenges faced by young journalists, Wusatullah Khan remarked that traditional media was not easily accessible to the public, which led people to turn to social media.

He emphasised the importance of language in journalism and the need to understand current affairs.

He highlighted the growing opportunities in journalism, including advertising and freelancing, urging young people to explore these fields.

At another session, Saif Samejo lamented that people often resort to flattery and exploit religion in order to progress as this had become a part of the system.

Naseer Memon stressed the need for the government to provide scholarships and educational facilities to the youth. He emphasised the importance of technological education, predicting that the use of robots would increase in the future.

Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Sports Secretary Abdul Aleem Lashari stated that the youth from all over Sindh, representing diverse backgrounds and facing various challenges, had been invited to the conference.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2025