The federal government has decided to extend the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) to Gilgit-Baltistan, allowing between 500 and 1,000 young people from the region to receive training in modern technologies, including information technology, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.
The decision was discussed during a meeting in Islamabad between Ghulam Abbas and Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan. The meeting focused on expanding the NAVTTC–Huawei Prime Minister’s Youth Skill Development Programme (PMYSDP) to Gilgit-Baltistan.
During the meeting, Ghulam Abbas submitted a formal request along with proposals for the programme’s expansion. He said that the youth of Gilgit-Baltistan have strong potential in emerging technologies but face limited access to quality training opportunities due to geographical barriers and a lack of institutional infrastructure.
He proposed that at least 500 to 1,000 youths from the region should be enrolled in Huawei-certified international training programmes over the next 12 months to improve their employability in global digital and technology markets.
Officials said Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan assured that Gilgit-Baltistan holds special importance for the prime minister and that all initiatives under the youth skill development programme would be extended to the region on a priority basis.
The meeting also discussed the establishment of a dedicated Gilgit-Baltistan High-Tech Digital Skills Programme aimed at training more than 2,500 youths in internationally recognised IT and digital skills over the next three years.
