JA Pakistan and Prime Minister’s Youth Programme expand pathways to youth success
A new partnership bringing practical financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness learning to young people through Daanish Schools and the Prime Minister’s Digital Youth Hub, strengthening JA Pakistan’s contribution to Pakistan’s future workforce and economy.
Pakistan’s young people are entering adulthood at a moment of profound economic and technological change. They bring ideas, ambition, and an eagerness to contribute, but many still lack access to practical learning experiences, professional networks, and financial knowledge that can help them turn their potential into lasting economic opportunity.
As one of the world’s youngest countries, Pakistan has an important choice before it: invest in the capabilities of its young people today or risk leaving much of their talent unrealized.
Nearly two-thirds of Pakistan’s population is under age 30, according to the United Nations Development Programme. This represents an extraordinary national asset. When young people are equipped to manage money, understand the workplace, solve problems, and create businesses, they are better positioned to earn incomes, support their families, generate employment, and contribute to resilient communities.
A new partnership between JA Pakistan and the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme is creating pathways for more young people to gain these capabilities. Established on September 16, 2026, the partnership connects JA Pakistan’s learning experiences in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness with two important government initiatives: Daanish Schools and the Prime Minister’s Digital Youth Hub.
Led by Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme provides a credible national platform through which JA Pakistan can extend its reach. The collaboration also marks an important step in JA Pakistan’s re-establishment under Board Chairperson Dr. Haroon Latif, and Executive Director Hassan Pagganwala.
Their vision is clear: to build an organization capable of delivering relevant, practical learning at scale, while remaining focused on the aspirations and needs of individual youth.
Board Chairperson of JA Pakistan, Dr. Haroon Latif, said:
“Nation-building begins by investing in the potential of young people. Through our partnership with the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, JA Pakistan can equip more youth with the practical knowledge and skills to pursue meaningful careers, create enterprises, and contribute to Pakistan’s economic and social progress.”
The first area of collaboration will support students in Daanish Schools, a government network of free residential schools for talented young people from underprivileged backgrounds. Currently, 34 Daanish Schools operate in Punjab, enrolling 38,820 students. A further 21 schools are under implementation across the country.
For these students, JA learning experiences can build a bridge between classroom education and future economic participation. A financial literacy lesson can help a young person understand budgeting, saving, and responsible decision-making. An entrepreneurship program can show how an idea becomes a product, service, or business. A work readiness experience can help a young person practice communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and other skills that employers value.
The impact of such learning reaches beyond technical knowledge. It helps young people develop confidence, recognize their own capabilities, and respond constructively to change.
These are increasingly important qualities in Pakistan’s evolving labour market. Young people are preparing for jobs that may look very different from those available to previous generations. Digitalization, new business models, and changing employer expectations are reshaping how people work and build careers. Entrepreneurship and self-employment also offer important avenues for young people who may not immediately find opportunities in formal employment.
The partnership’s second area of collaboration, the Prime Minister’s Digital Youth Hub, creates the potential to take JA learning experiences to a much wider audience.
Pakistan’s national digital platform for young people had more than 800,000 registered users, 3,163 partner organizations, and over 114,000 opportunities as of June 2026. JA Pakistan will digitize its programs and make them available through the platform, increasing access for youth across the country, including those in remote and underserved communities.
This digital expansion matters because opportunity is not distributed evenly. Geography, household income, school resources, and access to professional networks can all influence whether a young person receives guidance about careers, money, or business ownership.
By combining JA Pakistan’s practical learning approach with the reach of a national youth platform, the partnership can help narrow these gaps.
The need is significant. The World Bank’s 2021 Global Findex found that only 21 percent of adults in Pakistan had an account at a financial institution or through a mobile money provider. Financial inclusion was even lower among women. At the same time, World Bank learning data suggests that many children reach adolescence without mastering foundational skills, creating further challenges as they prepare for employment.
JA Pakistan cannot address these complex issues alone. Its renewed presence can, however, provide an important link among schools, government, businesses, volunteers, and communities.
As a Member of JA Worldwide and part of the JA Asia Pacific network, JA Pakistan can draw on established learning models and international experience while adapting its programs to the realities facing young people in Pakistan. Partnerships with employers and volunteers can further connect young people with real-world perspectives, role models, and insight into emerging career opportunities.
Through its partnership with the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, JA Pakistan is establishing the credibility, reach, and relationships needed to create more of these moments.
Pakistan’s young people are ready to learn, earn, innovate, and lead. By giving them practical opportunities to build knowledge, confidence, and resilience, JA Pakistan and the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme can help turn a generation’s potential into economic progress.