Presiding over a meeting on Punjab’s skilled manpower export plan, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday set a target of training and securing job placements for 100,000 youth.
She directed officials to develop a comprehensive plan for sending skilled workers abroad and emphasized priority access to business cards and loans for trained individuals.
To support youth in remote areas, it was decided to launch the “Skills on Wheel” project in partnership with the private sector. Additionally, the CM approved several new initiatives, including a ‘plug and play’ call center system.
In the first phase, 5,000 youths will receive call center training. Upon completing the six-week course, participants can secure jobs earning approximately Rs 100,000 per month. A proposal to introduce Skills Cards was also discussed.
Officials reported that 480 women will receive training at the Garment Training Institute in Quaid-i-Azam Business Park. These trainees will benefit from pick-and-drop facilities and a stipend of Rs 20,000 per month. They will also be placed in large textile groups for employment.
Punjab Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Secretary Nadir Chattha stated that all skill development institutions have been consolidated under one department.
Under the CM Skilled Punjab Initiative, 4,000 youth have completed international IT certifications, with plans to expand this to 10,000 participants.
A six-month free hospitality training program, in collaboration with a British institution, will also be introduced, with job placements arranged for graduates.
Additionally, 1,600 transgender individuals have completed skills training in textile, makeup, and backstage production, receiving a stipend of Rs 8,000 per month. The “Tabeer” job placement program is also helping skilled youth find employment abroad.
Meanwhile, 27,000 applications have been received for a rural women digital training program, which provides free desktop computers and training in English and IT.
A centralized digital dashboard for the Punjab Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Department will go live by mid-April to streamline these initiatives.
CM Maryam Nawaz reiterated her commitment to youth empowerment, stating:
“Training and job opportunities will integrate youth into the development process. Pakistan’s future depends on equipping our talented youth with skills. The Punjab government will offer full support for training and job placement.”
In a separate decision, CM Maryam Nawaz ordered an immediate rollback of the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) fare increase for double-decker sightseeing buses.
Following her directive, the fare hike notification was withdrawn, restoring previous ticket prices.
The Sightseeing Lahore Bus Service fare, which had been raised from Rs 200 to Rs 500, was reversed, as was the increase for corporate, educational, and commercial bookings, which had gone from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000.
Expressing displeasure over the decision, she emphasized that the bus service, operating on three routes, should remain affordable to promote tourism in Lahore.