MIRPUR (AJK), Mar 6 (APP):- AJK Minister for Youth and Sports, Ch. Muhammad Saeed Monday said the AJK government was very much interested to finance and support new ideas of income generation and cultural renaissance presented by the youth belonging to all parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Talking to youth from all divisions of AJK in panel discussion held before showcasing of projects in Muzaffarabad, he said that his ministry was taking necessary steps in this regard.
He appreciated the young people for their efforts and asked them to support him in his endeavor of increasing the youth budget.
Youth from all divisions of AJK, selected through a rigorous process, showcased their projects, the Center for Peace, Development and Reforms (CPDR) officially declared here on Monday. The event was organized by CPDR in collaboration with the British Council.
According to CPDR, people from all walks of life were present on the occasion who appreciated the efforts of young community leaders who had come up with social action projects for the improvement of living standard in their respective constituencies. Most projects were of entrepreneurial nature ranging from ideas like rehabilitation of heritage building to spreading awareness about voting rights etc.
Ch. Muhammad Saeed who chaired the panel discussion session, appreciated the organizers for arranging the event. The Executive Director CPDR, Ershad Mahmud said that youth in AJK is currently facing problems like unemployment, lack of quality education, exposure to jobs and wider political and social circles. So, it is responsibility of the incumbent government to create enabling environment, provide support and safety to the civil society organizations working in this regard.
Umair Tamim from the British Council spoke on the hard work that was put into these social action projects and appreciated youth for their commitment and expressed delight over the creative showcasing and shared new ideas with young leaders on how to market and project their ideas in a more appealing way.
Dr. Waqas Ali, Director Programmes stated that the young people of AJK have huge potential to develop the region if provided necessary skills and resources. He urged the government to develop liaison with the civil society organizations to improve accountability and ensure good governance.
Around 180 participants came from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and across AJK and actively took part in the event. They urged the minister that the youth budget of the ministry should be increased and efforts should also be made to include AJK team into next PSL round.
The girls requested the minister to create more spaces for youth for interaction and political engagement with the political leadership.
At the end, the activity became a family gathering event where people from all walks of life demonstrated great interest in social action projects. People were of the view that such activities must be held regularly and general public should also be invited.
Raja Abbas, AJK Secretary for Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and Numan ul Haq, representative of Youth, Women for Peace and Development also shared their views in the event.