Government allocates Rs5.29 billion for Youth IT Skills training

Government targets 120,000 trainees under digital skills programme.

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has allocated Rs5.29 billion under the Prime Minister’s Youth Skills Development Programme to train around 120,000 young people in IT and digital skills.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, while presenting the budget, highlighted that Pakistan’s youth are the country’s biggest strength. He noted that around 67% of the population is under the age of 30, stressing the need to invest in their skills and development.

He said the government aims to equip young people with modern technical and vocational training so they can play an active role in the country’s economic growth.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he added, is focused on ensuring broader access to skill development opportunities across the country.

However, the budget does not include a dedicated large-scale employment generation programme beyond this training initiative, despite rising unemployment concerns.

Meanwhile, the government has recently merged and closed several departments, leading to job losses for thousands of employees.

Some state institutions have also been privatised, while further privatisation plans are reportedly under consideration, despite opposition from labour groups and affected workers.