Govt to distribute 100,000 laptops to youth across Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Thursday that the federal government would distribute 100,000 laptops to meritorious youth and top achievers across the country.

The prime minister announced this while addressing a ceremony to distribute cheques among beneficiaries of the Youth Loan Programme.

He said that those who used to criticise the laptop scheme in the past should have witnessed that the very laptops helped the youth to earn sustenance, particularly during the Covid pandemic.

“I am giving laptop, not Kalashnikov,” remarked the prime minister, who also launched a freelancer card during the ceremony. 

Shehbaz said that country’s progress was linked to the success of the Youth Loan Programme which, besides supporting unemployed youngsters, will also benefit the national economy.

The prime minister said that if provided ample opportunities, Pakistan’s youth would take the country to new heights.

He said that the loan scheme was a continuation of the PM Youth Loan scheme launched in 2013 by then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif under which billions of rupees were disbursed among the entitled youth.

Shehbaz Sharif recalled that a youth loan scheme was also launched in Punjab and that 75,000 youngsters were also given vehicles on loan when he was the chief minister of the province.

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He said that the recovery ratio of the youth loan scheme was around 99 per cent which manifested the honesty of the country’s youngsters.

PM Shehbaz said that the 99% recovery ratio of the youth and Kissan loan schemes falsified the misconception about the risks involved in the individual loans by the banks.

He said that the Pakistani youth never got their loans waived off.

The prime minister congratulated the beneficiaries and appreciated the services of SAPM Shiza Fatima Khawaja, banks, and other partners for their efforts to make the programme a success.

He said that considering their immense potential, the government would never disappoint the youth and would scrape the maximum resources to extend them loan facilities.

Freelancer card launched

Earlier, SAPM on Youth Affairs Shiza Fatima Khawaja apprised the audience of the performance of Youth Loan Programme and assured that a target of Rs30 billion loan to the youth would be achieved.

She also thanked the relevant ministries, banks, microfinance organisations, business and social media partners for their services and contribution to the success of the programme.

She said that the agriculture and SME sector would be among major beneficiaries of the loan programme.

Punjab Bank President Zafar Masood, highlighting the features of the freelancer card, said the freelancers could bring in revenue worth billions of rupees if card was issued and account access was made easy.

He recalled that, in the past, the recovery ratio of the Rozgar scheme was 99% while the recovery rate of Kissan scheme was 99.6% which removed misconceptions about the government's loan schemes.

Earlier, a documentary was played marking the testimonials from the beneficiaries of the youth loan scheme which enabled them to earn sustenance for their respective families.