Startup loans for youth: ‘Move will boost economic activities’

The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) has lauded the finance minister’s announcement to provide loans to the youth to start their own businesses. In the 2013-14 budget, the government had announced the provision of loans ranging from Rs100,000 to Rs200,000 with low markup to unemployed youth to start their own businesses. The ICCI said in a press release that the provision of loans to the jobless youth will be instrumental in engaging them in entrepreneurship besides giving a boost to economic activity in the country. ICCI President Zafar Bakhtawari also lauded the government’s move to allocate Rs2 billion for small businesses. He said that Pakistan was witnessing a youth bulge and the government should come up with more attractive schemes to fully harness the potential of youngsters.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2013.