The Prime Minister on Thursday said that the government has earmarked Rs 30 billion for 'Hunarmand Pakistan' and in the first phase Rs10 billion would be utilized. Under the program, he added that skill training would be provided to 0.5 million youth while 175,000 youth to be provided training in the first phase.

Speaking at the launch of Hunarmand Pakistan programme, the Prime Minister described the fertile land, minerals and youth as assets of the country and stated that by better water management system and use of new technology, agricultural production can be doubled. He said that Pakistan is blessed with minerals and even two mines in Reko Diq could help Pakistan repay its debt.

The Prime Minister said that youth is the biggest asset of the country and this program (Hunarmand program) is first step to polish this asset by providing skill training for which 400 technical training centers would be opened across the country with 70 centers to be opened in Madaris (religious seminaries).

He added that 350 smart technical training centers would also be established having affiliation with international quality technical institutes. Of the total, he stated that 75 centers would be opened in the first phase and a national accreditation is also being established for quality education. This program is a path by treading on it the country can realize the dream of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal, he added.

He said that good and bad times are part and parcel of the country's history as life is not always hunky-dory and bad time must be taken as a message from divine so that the countries could rectify themselves.

The Prime Minister recounted that Pakistan is the only country that came into being at the name of Islam to become an Islamic state on the principles of the State of Medina.

The present government has launched Ehsaas program for the poor, and so far over 170 Panah Gahs (shelter homes) have been established in Punjab and KP and while on Wednesday last Rs 7 billion were provided to Utility Stores Corporation (USC) so that the poor could get essential commodities at cheaper rates. The government has also distributed health cards so far to 6 million families with the limit to spend Rs 720,000 at any hospital.

The government would cover all the Pakistan and every deserving family will be provided health cards, he said, adding the government would also open more Langar Khanas.

The Prime Minister said that the government would construct five million houses in the next four years for the salaried class people. He stated that he is hopeful that the chief justice Lahore High Court would clear the foreclosure law this week.