Prime Minister Imran Khan says imparting vocational training to the youth is government’s priority and it is determined to provide all possible assistance to the Small and Medium Enterprises.
Chairing a review meeting on priority sectors in Islamabad on Friday, the Prime Minister said overseas Pakistanis are a great asset for the country, and all the foreign missions have been directed to collaborate with the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training to ensure export of skilled workforce.
He said a comprehensive strategy has been evolved to this effect for the first time in the history of Pakistan. He said all the institutions, with mutual cooperation, are planning in view of the consumption of the workforce at the international level.
The Prime Minister also called for taking steps in the priority areas within the stipulated time frame. The meeting was informed about making the administrative procedure easy for the overseas Pakistanis and SMEs as well as the progress on various Memorandums of Understanding signed during foreign visits of the Prime Minister.
It was briefed that Overseas Employment Portal was launched to enhance export of the workforce. This portal is coordinating between the candidates and overseas employment opportunities. It is also helping in identifying skillset at the international level. The portal is also assisting the eligible candidates for foreign jobs in a transparent manner. The meeting was apprised that 50,000 people, gone abroad under the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, have so far contributed 2.6 billion dollars’ foreign exchange reserves.
The meeting was also briefed that universal standards have been issued to ensure equal quality of edible items. The meeting was apprised about hurdles in the way of investment and steps taken to resolve these problems.
The Prime Minister, on the occasion, instructed to remove all bottlenecks in the way of investment as soon as possible. The meeting was further informed that a comprehensive strategy is being formulated on import of waste from abroad and steps are being taken to use local waste as an alternative. Besides, it was briefed that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority is revising the issuance of separate cable licenses to hotel owners. Earlier, PM Imran launched the Kisan Portal under the Pakistan Citizen’s Portal to “help raise the voice of small, voiceless farmers”. Addressing the launching ceremony in Islamabad, the premier said that the government was helping small farmers because “when you help them, you help all of Pakistan.”
He explained that the Kisan card would enable small farmers to get direct subsidies, and directly receive money for subsidised soil and pesticides as well as in cases of emergencies. “Small farmers will now have insurance that will enable banks to give them credit, which they did not do in the past,” he added. PM Imran stated that labourers and farmers are the hardest working people in society who have to endure all weathers and face a myriad of issues, adding that helping them will make the Almighty happy. “It is our duty to help them. More than 90% of farmers are small farmers whose voices do not reach us, do not reach those in power or those in cities,” the PM said, adding that these small farmers have to work hard, face difficulties and oppression. “Our government has led a tehreek (movement) of insaf (justice),” the premier said, alluding to his party’s name – the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. He maintained that it is the weak who need justice most.
