ISLAMABAD: The young leaders` conference (YLC), which has been an annual feature for the last 13 years, will be held in the federal capital from August 11.

The conference is organised with an objective to divert the energy of the youth towards constructive activities besides teaching them self-reliance.

Umair Jalianwala, the director of school of leadership, and other organisers told a news conference on Thursday that the six-day event would start from August 11. They said on August 12, the youth may also meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The conference will be held for three days in a hotel and three days at the National University of Sciences and Technology (Nust).

`We have been working for the last 13 years and 90 per cent of the youth who participate in the conferences are taught to trust themselves. They are trained so that they can start earning and stop depending on others,` said Mr Jaliawala.

Moreover, parents are also convinced that they should allow their children to adopt a profession of their choice, he added.

`For the last a few years, we have observed that a large number of students participating in the conference wanted to get education abroad and do not come bacl<. A few years ago, a majority of people used to say that they wanted to serve the country after completion of their studies abroad.

He said the organisers were also trying to convince them to come back to Pakistan.

Saima Khan, another organiser of the YLC, said almost a decade ago Riaz Khan, a student of the Khyber Medical College, attended the YLC and informed the participants that he had to borrow money from his relatives to continue his study.

`Because of the members of the YLC, the student got some work and was able to pay his fees. Later, after completion of his studies abroad, the student became one of the best oncologists and is now working at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims),` she said.

Khadija Khan from Lahore said he participated in YLC 2006 when she was 17 years old.

`After that, I realised that I can do lots of things and my life was changed,` she said.

Zaidan Khan, who came from Quetta, said he participated in one of the conferences and learnt how to make his life a success.

In reply to questions, the organisers said there was no criterion for participating in the conference. However, youth from 18 to 24 years of age are allowed to participate in the training sessions.