Rana Mashhood unveils tailored YDI to supercharge youth policy

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd May, 2026) In a pivotal conclave at the Prime Minister’s Office, Chairman Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan on Saturday convened with UNFPA Representative Dr. Luay Shabaneh and Chief Statistician Dr. Naeem uz Zafar of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) to forge a customized Youth Development Index (YDI) for 2026, harnessing granular data to illuminate disparities, bolster equity and propel evidence based youth policymaking attuned to Pakistan’s socio economic exigencies, security perils, and SDG imperatives.

The YDI, a globally lauded metric gauging the fortunes of youth aged 15–29 across domains like education, health, employment, and resilience, promises disaggregated insights at provincial and district levels.

Chairman Khan underscored its potency in redressing vulnerabilities exacerbated by terrorism, conflict, climate cataclysms, and reproductive health lacunae, while aligning with national priorities and international covenants.

With nearly two-thirds of Pakistanis under 30 embodying a prodigious demographic reservoir, the index emerges not as mere ledger but as a lodestar for resource apportionment, accountability, and holistic empowerment.

The PMYP pledges unwavering synergy with UNFPA and PBS to actualize this visionary framework, heralding an era of inclusive, resilient youth ascendancy.