ISLAMABAD: Pakistan: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday inaugurated a project for the capacity building of youth in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) under Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, in collaboration with the United Nation’s Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT).
The FATA Development Authority will implement the project in coordination with Pakistan army.
Under the project, vocational training and psycho-social support will be given to 100 terror-affected youth in FATA, both male and female under the age of 35, in order to provide them access to sustainable livelihood, and thereby gaining resilience against terrorist propaganda and its recruitment. Unemployed and disabled youth will be given priority.
20% of the training seats are reserved for female candidates from FR Kohat & FR Peshawar, whereas 10% seats are reserved for disabled persons.
Male candidates will be trained in trades like Mobile Repair, Auto CAD, Computer Operator, Industrial Electrician, Quantity Survey, and Civil Survey; whereas trades for female candidates include Tailoring, Embroidery, and Knitting.
The prime minister appreciated the efforts of the Minister of State and Chairperson Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Leila Khan, Pakistan army especially 11 Corps Peshawar, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the FATA Development Authority for this valuable intervention aimed at socio-economic uplift of FATA youth.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi thanked the UNOCT for funding the project, and expressed hope that the recently-passed FATA-KP Merger Bill will also have a far-reaching impact on mainstreaming of FATA in the national economic development.
