PESHAWAR: Federal minister Ameer Muqam on Monday said the KP Mines and Minerals Bill was crucial for Pakistan’s development and must not fall prey to political maneuvering.

Addressing the Youth Convention here, the minister said under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would see significant socioeconomic progress.

He said PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif had directed activists to involve youth in national development, showing the party’s commitment to empowering the younger generation.

Mr Muqam said the passion of KP’s youth surpassed that of any other region in Pakistan. He called for national unity and people’s empowerment.

Minister says KP to witness socioeconomic progress during Shehbaz govt

The minister announced the establishment of an office of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme in Hayatabad as part of efforts to decentralise the initiative.

He said that divisional and district coordinators had taken oath and that the programme would be expanded to every union council.

Mr Muqam praised the performance of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and said the premier worked tirelessly to bring down inflation and stabilise the economy.

He said the Mines and Minerals Bill represented a pathway to national prosperity and warned against allowing it to be derailed by political interests.

Mr Muqam said youth conventions would be organised at district and tehsil level.

He said the government was equipping youth with the ornament of technical education and vocational training to get dignified jobs in the market.

He said that price hike and policy rate had been significantly reduced, while the economy was on the path of progress and prosperity.

“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has saved the country from economic default,” he said.

The minister said that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz was the only party with the ability to address problems of youth.

Also, chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan spoke to the event and said the federal government had launched scores of programmes for the socioeconomic empowerment of youth of Pakistan.

He highlighted the prime minister’s youth empowerment programme, including technical education, employment, skills development, loans scheme and scholarship initiatives that brought positive changes in lives of youth of Pakistan including KP.

He said the first digital youth policy had been launched and he came here to inform youth of KP about it.

Mr Mashhood said he would visit 25 cities to inform youth about the first Govt digital policy and youth empowerment programme. He also announced to visit Swabi soon in this regard.

The chairman of the PM’s programme said that youth was a great asset of Pakistan and its role in development of the country carried vital importance.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2025