LAHORE: The Punjab government has sent the first batch, comprising 135 skilled youths, to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) under the ‘Parwaaz Card’ initiative.

Addressing a ceremony in this regard here on Wednesday, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said the youths going abroad for employment would not merely be workers but ambassadors of Pakistan.

She said providing quality vocational training to the youth of Punjab was her dream, which is being transformed into reality by Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) under the supervision of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Department (SD&ED).

Punjab Task Force on Skill Development Chairman Adnan Afzal Chattha and SD&ED Secretary Nadir Chattha, PSDF Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ahmed Khan, recruitment partners, representatives of the Bank of Punjab (BoP), overseas employment promoters and the Parwaaz Card beneficiaries attended the event.

Interacting with the participants, Ms Nawaz inquired about their experience with the Parwaaz Card scheme and told them, “When you travel abroad under this programme, you will represent Pakistan. The country that has empowered you deserves to be portrayed positively in front of the world.”

She said her vision extends beyond Punjab and that she wanted to ensure the provision of vocational training opportunities to young people across all provinces, where there was a need for skills development, enabling them to access better employment opportunities in global markets.

“I want to see you off as a mother would bid farewell to her children. Just as you feel safe in Pakistan, I hope you remain safe in the countries where you have secured jobs and continue to make your country proud,” she said.

During the ceremony, Adnan Chattha briefed the CM that 135 young people had secured placements in Saudi Arabia under the Parwaaz Card programme. The placements cover various sectors, including hospitality, healthcare, construction and other industries.

He said the SD&ED was actively equipping Punjab’s youth with market-driven vocational and professional skills to help them secure dignified employment opportunities both within Pakistan and abroad.

The first batch comprises 105 candidates selected for jobs in the hospitality sector, particularly in Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs), and 30 in the construction sector.

The departures of the successful candidates to Saudi Arabia will begin from June 28.

The Parwaaz Card scheme provides beneficiaries with interest-free pre-departure financing and workplace-readiness training to facilitate safe, legal and dignified overseas employment for the youth of Punjab.

At the end of the ceremony, the chief minister distributed Parwaaz cards and interest-free loan cheques among the beneficiaries.

Under the programme, 45,000 deserving individuals are being provided with interest-free loans amounting to Rs6.867 billion.

Individual financing ranges from Rs300,000 to Rs1 million, and is intended to cover upfront expenses associated with overseas employment, including visa fee, air tickets, medical examination fee, protectorate fees and other travel-related expenses.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2026