MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore on Tuesday said that while the region had no shortage of talent, a lack of awareness among young people remained a major challenge that needed urgent attention.

Noting that around 64pc of AJK’s population comprised youth, he said, if this large segment was provided with proper direction and effective guidance, the region could set new benchmarks of development and success.“It is a matter of pride that Kashmiri youth are serving in prominent positions across Pakistan on the basis of their abilities, which reflects their competence,” he said.

The prime minister expressed these views while addressing the participants of a two-day Youth Leadership Workshop organised by the Department of Sports, Youth and Culture at the Kashmir Institute of Management. Minister for Finance and Inland Revenue Chaudhry Qasim Majeed, Adviser on Sports and Youth Affairs Sardar Ahmed Sagheer, and Secretary Sports, Youth and Culture Ansar Yaqoob were also present.

Urging young people to take advantage of modern technology, PM Rathore said that cellphones had turned into a ‘university in one’s hands.’ “With a single click, you can access information from around the world, which was not possible before.”

Inaugurates ‘job festival’ to connect youth with employment opportunities

Sharing his own experience, he said that success in life did not come overnight but required patience, sincerity and sustained struggle. “My success is also the result of a long and difficult journey marked by hard work, struggle and major decisions,” he said.

He pointed out that one of the major weaknesses of society was the tendency to find fault with others and advised participants to stay away from negative tendencies, move beyond traditional thinking, and practise self-accountability rather than being judgmental.

“Success requires a story that inspires motivation. Young people should work to improve their own life stories and accept responsibility for both success and failure,” he said, adding that while governments were responsible for providing resources, training and education, it was up to the youth to work hard.

He also underscored the importance of improving the education system, noting that its major flaw lay inevaluating students solely on the basis of marks — a practice no longer followed in most parts of the world. Emphasising that there was no substitute for skills, he called for greater focus on skill development in view of the shortage of skilled persons. He expressed hope that the workshop would help produce a new generation of youth leaders.

Job Festival

Earlier, the prime minister inaugurated a two-day “Job Festival” at the New Prime Minister House organised by the Department of Sports, Youth and Culture to guide young people on opportunities for education, employment and professional development abroad.

The festival featured stalls set up by various government departments, overseas employment and education consultancy firms, armed forces recruitment centres, and organisations promoting self-employment and skills development. Food stalls were also arranged at the venue.

A large number of students, fresh graduates and young participants attended the event, where experts, consultants and representatives from relevant sectors provided guidance on overseas education, employment and career planning.The prime minister inspected stalls and received briefings from officials.

Speaking to the media on the occasion, he said the purpose of the festival was to highlight youth potential, guide them in the right direction, and connect them with better employment opportunities, particularly in sectors such as information technology, tourism, health, hospitality and skilled trades.“You have seen that training, career counselling and awareness have been provided to youth in every field so that they can move forward and contribute to the development of the state,” he said.

He warned that failure to engage youth — who make up the majority of the population — in productive and healthy activities could push them towards negative pursuits, which would be detrimental to the state.Mr Rathore said efforts were also underway to improve internet services to create a conducive environment for freelancing among young people.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2026