ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday called for fostering partnerships, supporting entrepreneurship and prioritising youth education to pave the way fora prosperousfuture.

Addressing the inaugural session of the Commonwealth Asia Youth Alliance (Caya) summit, he said by ensuring that youth remained centralto governance and decision-making processes, the region could overcome hurdles to progress.

Mr Sharif welcomed the participating delegates from several nations and said as a founding member Pakistan attached great importance to the Commonwealth and its institutions which served as an important platform for consensus-building and fostering partnerships.

The opening session of the international summitwas attended by delegates from 12 countries, federal ministers, diplomats, 113 new members of the National Youth Council (NYC), students and academicians from across the country.

With over 60pc of the Commonwealth population under the age of 30, the future rests in the hands of the youth, the prime minister said, adding that they must be empowered and equipped through vigorous training and access to modern technology.

He said Pakistan, with a youth bulge of around 70pc of the population under the age of 30, fully understood their potential as challenges could easily be transformed into great opportunities by leveraging this potential.

The prime minister said the government was committed to empowering youth through transformative initiatives such asthe Prime Minister`s Youth Programme (PMYP), empowering millions of boys and girls across Pakistan.

Referring to his term as Punjab chief minister, Mr Sharif mentioned the launch of the Punjab Education Endowment Fund to provide stipends to high achievers in education and the establishment of Daanish Schools which were now being expanded to Islamabad, Azad Kashmir (AJK) and remote areas of Balochistan.

`Around 600,000 laptops were distributed among high achievers which during the Covid-19 pandemic proved to be a valuable resource for distance learning and earning,` the prime minister said.

Earlier, the prime minister also administered an oath to the members of the NYC and gave away the Climate Champion Awards to 20 youths whohad positively contributed to environmental preservation.

In his address, PMYP Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan said 49 boys and as many girls, two transgenders and 13 candidates from the overseas diaspora were selected for NYC through interviews conducted by a panel of professionals and leaders.

He said that the Caya summit would provide an effective platform to strengthen the dynamic role of young leadership and facilitate dialogue.

He said that the establishment of the Caya secretariat was a positive development, reflecting trust in Pakistani youth.

A video message from the Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland was also played, who acknowledged Pakistan`s efforts in youth development and its contributions to the com-monwealth community.

The event also featured the formal inauguration of the Caya secretariat in Pakistan as well as the Spark Magazine of the PMYP.

Addressing the summit, Coordinator to the Prime Minister for Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam praised the pivotal role of youth in shaping both global and national climate action narratives.

`It is both inspiring and encouraging to see the commitment of our young leaders, who are raising awareness to protect our planet from climate change impacts,` she said.

She stressed the role of media in raising awareness and called for engaging all segments of society to promote climate solutions. A collaborative approach, she said, is essential with lessons drawn from best practices across regions and sectors.

APP & Staff Reporter