'National Youth Policy' formulated by Ministry of Youth Affairs would be finalised soon, considering the suggestions of youngsters for the policy draft placed on the ministry's official website.
Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif told APP that the policy has been presented before the cabinet, and suggestions received from all walks of life would be discussed for further improvement.
The National Youth Policy was placed on official website of Ministry of Youth Affairs on Independence Day for youngsters' suggestions to finalise it. Terming youth policy as an essential step, Saif said the policy was developed keeping in view all possible dimensions of utilising youth potential in country's development. The ministry would approve it without any delay, he added.
The process of accumulating national policy began in 1989 and a policy document was presented before the cabinet in 2003, however, the cabinet pointed some flaws and asked the relevant officials to make amendments. Barrister Saif ensured the effectiveness of the policy in addressing all challenges faced by youth at national and international levels.
The policy defines youth as population in the age group of 15 to 29 years, a period of life that is most productive and useful by virtue of the nascent energies they are endowed with by the nature.
This age group comprises about 27 percent population of the country with even proportion of males and females. The policy stresses the need for steering the development of youth in line with Islamic values, ideology of Pakistan, norms and aspirations of the Pakistani youth.
The first principle of the policy is to inculcate a sense of pride by creating awareness about our history, heritage and achievements, Saif said. The document addresses the major challenges confronted the young lot including unemployment, under-employment, career counselling, lack of guidance upon entering the job market and scarcity of vocational training opportunities, he added.
The draft also includes the issues like increasing violence, drug abuse, healthy competitive environment in studies and utilisation of innovative ideas in proper dimension.
The document presents different principles of the policy including character building, national integration and promotion of sports. The minister said that the major projects relating to youth development cannot be initiated further without approval of the policy.
Expressing the hope to finalise the policy, he said the ministry plans to initiate various projects in the light of recommendations made in the document after the formal approval of the policy.