The PM Shehbaz Initiative to Provide 1 Million Smartphones aims to empower top-performing students across Pakistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the federal government will distribute one million smartphones, tablets, and laptops to top-performing students across Pakistan, including those from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and remote areas of Balochistan. This initiative, revealed during an event marking the International Day of Youth, aims to provide modern educational tools to deserving students.
While speaking at the event, organized by the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, PM Shehbaz Sharif recalled his tenure as Chief Minister of Punjab under the leadership of PML-N President Nawaz Sharif. He emphasized his commitment to creating opportunities for the youth to transform the country’s destiny.
The prime minister highlighted the importance of provincial programs designed to support students, ensuring that each region receives the resources needed for youth development. He reiterated his pledge to allocate significant resources to empower the nation’s youth, aiming to transform Pakistan into a thriving, developed nation.
“The youth of Pakistan have the potential to elevate the nation to new heights if provided with access to modern education and resources,” he stated, expressing his vision of equipping talented youth with education in information technology and artificial intelligence to ignite a revolution similar to China’s progress.
PM Shehbaz Sharif also reflected on his previous efforts in providing modern facilities to students at Danish Schools and expressed concerns over the nation’s current challenges, including the heavy burden of debt and the extreme poverty that hinders many from meeting basic needs.
In a significant announcement, the prime minister committed to personally funding the education of 1,000 agricultural graduates in China, with the goal of enhancing Pakistan’s agricultural productivity through modern technology. Additionally, Huawei has pledged to train 200,000 youth in IT and advanced education.
PM Shehbaz Sharif also revealed plans to unveil a comprehensive development strategy for the country on August 14, 2024 and emphasized the need to learn from past mistakes to ensure future progress. He assured that efforts would be made to revive the country’s hockey team.
PM Shehbaz Sharif praised javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, noting that he had brought home a gold medal for Pakistan after a 40-year gap.
During the event, the PM Shehbaz Sharif launched several key initiatives, including the Commonwealth Youth Alliance Secretariat in Islamabad, the Digital Learning Portal, the PM Green Youth Movement, and the AI for Youth Programme, which provides Intel-certified skills to young people. Other initiatives, such as Smart Youth, Smart Pakistan, and the distribution of one million tablets and mobile phones to high-achieving intermediate students, were also introduced. The PM Shehbaz Sharif also announced the registration of the National Volunteer Corps and later presented awards to successful young entrepreneurs.
