Govt urged to invest in education, skills

Businessmen seek strategy to turn rising population into economic force

KARACHI:

Acting Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Tahir Ayub on Saturday called for a comprehensive national strategy to transform Pakistan's rapidly growing population into a productive economic force through sustained investments in education, healthcare, skills development, entrepreneurship and employment generation.

He said that with prudent planning and human capital development, Pakistan's youthful population could become the country's greatest competitive advantage, driving industrial growth, innovation, exports and long-term economic prosperity.

He expressed these views while talking to different delegations of business leaders on the World Population Day on Saturday, observing that the day served as an important reminder of the need to strike a balance between population growth and sustainable economic development.

He emphasised that the true strength of a nation lied not merely in the size of its population, but in its ability to educate, empower and productively engage its people in nation-building.

Ayub said that Pakistan was blessed with one of the largest youth populations in the region, presenting a historic demographic opportunity that could accelerate economic transformation if supported by forward-looking policies.

However, he cautioned that without timely investments in quality education, vocational and technical training, healthcare, digital literacy, and decent employment opportunities, the demographic advantage could turn into a significant socio-economic challenge.

The acting ICCI president observed that the private sector had a pivotal role to play in creating employment opportunities, promoting entrepreneurship, investing in workforce development and supporting innovation.