KARACHI: Federal Minister and Chairman of Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP), Rana Mashood, has urged Karachi’s business community to partner with the government in addressing unemployment, poverty and insecurity in Balochistan, announcing that a pilot initiative targeting 25,000 identified young people across 12 districts of southern Balochistan will initially facilitate employment for approximately 6,000–7,000 youth, with further efforts planned to engage the remaining candidates through skills training and employment opportunities.
Addressing a meeting at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), Rana Mashood said Pakistan was passing through a defining moment, with emerging international opportunities that could strengthen its economic and strategic position.
However, he stressed that the country’s progress must be accompanied by meaningful action to address challenges in vulnerable regions, particularly Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Rana Mashood further said the government had adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards elements taking up arms against Pakistan and its Constitution, emphasising that lasting peace was essential for investment, industrial expansion and business growth.
“How long will we continue to carry the coffins of our young soldiers, and how long will the country continue to suffer from terrorism?” he asked, stressing that security measures must be complemented by economic opportunities capable of addressing deprivation and preventing vulnerable youth from being exploited by anti-state elements.
He said that Karachi’s industrial and commercial sector had a particularly important role to play because of its contribution to Pakistan’s industrial activity, revenue generation, innovation and economic growth.
He urged KCCI and its member companies to identify employment opportunities, communicate their workforce requirements and help design training programmes that equip young people with skills relevant to actual industry needs.
Rana Mashood said the programme would bring together federal and provincial institutions, including the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), provincial technical education and vocational training authorities, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund and rural support programmes.
Coordination with provincial governments and business organisations was also being pursued to ensure that the initiative delivered practical results.
He said that training courses would generally last three to six months, depending on the trade, and would include technical instruction, certification, soft skills, professional ethics and civic responsibility. Training would be arranged within Balochistan wherever suitable facilities were available, while selected institutions and universities in Sindh would also be engaged to provide additional training capacity and boarding and lodging facilities where required.
Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala welcomed the initiative but stressed that youth training must be backed by a comprehensive industrial revival and investment package.
He urged the government to reduce production costs, address energy-sector inefficiencies and improve export competitiveness, while proposing employment incentives, including partial wage support, for businesses hiring trained youth from Balochistan. Vice Chairman BMG Anjum Nisar called for employment-generating industries to be established within Balochistan so that young people could work close to their communities rather than face the practical difficulties of relocating to other cities.
He identified the province’s approximately 770-kilometre coastline as a major opportunity for developing the blue economy, urging investment in modern fisheries, seafood processing, cold storage and export facilities, alongside opportunities in mining and digital industries.
Vice Chairman BMG Jawed Bilwani warned that industrial closures, declining exports and inconsistent government policies were worsening unemployment.
He called for urgent measures to protect existing industries, restore competitiveness, address rising freight and transportation costs, and reconsider restrictions affecting industrial productivity.
He also proposed linking social protection assistance with children’s education to help combat child labour while improving export compliance and supporting employment generation.
President KCCI Talat Mahmood highlighted the business community’s continued confidence in the Chamber’s leadership, noting that the group had secured approximately 91 percent of votes cast in the recent election.
Concluding his address, Rana Mashood urged KCCI and the wider business community to support the initiative through industry partnerships, training sponsorships, internships and employment opportunities. He said that combined efforts of the government and private sector could provide young people with meaningful economic prospects, strengthen stability in Balochistan and contribute to a more peaceful and prosperous Pakistan.
Senior Vice President KCCI Aslam Pakhali, Vice President KCCI Atif Jamil Ur Rehman, NAVTTC Head Nadia Karim-Shaw, Secretary TDAP Sheryar Taj, President Business Forum PML-N Mirza Ishtiaq Baig and KCCI Executive Committee Members along with Senior NAVTTC officials attended the meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026