ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has introduced the fourth round of the Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme 2025, again stating the intentions of his government on empowering the youth through education and technology.
At the launch of the ceremony, PM Shehbaz said that this was a historical day in the lives of the youth in Pakistan and that the government is keen to equip the youth with the necessary tools to determine the future of this country.
This initiative is the continuation of the vision that he initially presented in 2010 as the Chief Minister of Punjab- a move that aimed at advancing education, arts, culture, sports and IT. Whenever faced with hurdles such as floods and economic misery, he responded that we never reduced one rupee in youth development funds since education and empowerment is our greatest priority.
The prime minister emphasized the point that since 2011, more than 100,000 laptops have been issued on merit alone and this has required an investment of around Rs40-50 billion. The government has set up an amount of Rs 500 billion in this new phase to educate, develop, and empower the youth.
Describing it as an investment in the future of Pakistan, PM Shehbaz reported that the country was one of the few countries that was advancing towards Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy and even planning on semiconductor production, which demonstrates the increasing technological capability of Pakistan.
He also declared his partnership with Saudi Arabia to provide Pakistani youth with advanced training on AI, IT, and modern vocational trades. Saudi Arabia is hosting the FIFA world cup 2034 and the 2030 expo, and it will require millions of skilled employees. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been helpful, and partners in that progress will be our young people, he said, with his gratitude.
Previously, the prime minister was informed by the interior minister Mohsin Naqvi on his recent visit to Iran and Muscat, and on the bilateral talks and regional collaboration.
