18th Amendment: ‘Youth need support’

Dissolution of the Ministry of Youth Affairs has left no platform for the youth to record their problems.

ISLAMABAD:

Half of the population of the country, and its most valuable human resource, has no platform to enhance their capabilities and record their problems.

After the dissolution of the Ministry of Youth Affairs under the 18th Amendment, all development projects linked to it have been trashed, said a former youth ministry official, requesting anonymity.

He said the ministry was working on youth-related projects like the National Internship Programme (NIP), Youth Exchange Programme (YEP) and National Volunteer Organisation, and that thousands of students were benefitting from these projects. The projects were later were handed over to the economic affairs ministry, which eventually ended them.

After the ministry was handed over to the provinces, NIP was also ended. Under NIP, the government was providing paid internships to over 40,000 fresh graduates each year. Beside this, the National Volunteer Organisation was also packed up.

The ministry signed several agreement with China, Turkey, England and Korea in youth exchange programmes, but these agreements died with the ministry.

Former Youth Affairs Minister Shahid Hussain Bhutto said the government should make a comprehensive plan so they can fulfil the loss faced after the dissolution of the youth ministry.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2012.