10,000 students in Balochistan will receive laptops: Rana Mashhod

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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Advisor on Youth Affairs Rana Mashhood Khan has said that the government, in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce, will work to address the longstanding deprivations of Balochistan. He announced that over 10,000 students in the province will receive laptops under the Prime Minister’s Scheme within the next few months. Addressing members of the Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday, Rana Mashhood said the global economy has shifted from petroleum to Information Technology, and Pakistan must now focus on sectors where it has the greatest need. “We are working with the Chamber of Commerce to promote IT development and aim to expand the country’s IT sector from USD2.5 billion to USD25 billion in the next three years,” he added. Despite severe challenges, the incumbent government prevented Pakistan from defaulting. He added that following Operation Bunyan al-Marsoos, new opportunities have opened up for Pakistan in the international arena. Earlier, Quetta Chamber President Haji Muhammad Ayub Marriani, Senior Vice President Haji Akhtar Kakar, Vice President Engineer Mir Wais Khan Kakar, and other office-bearers welcomed the advisor and highlighted the severe shortage of skilled labour in Balochistan. They noted that the expulsion of Afghan refugees had further worsened the problem and urged the government to issue five-year work visas for Afghan skilled workers. They also stressed the need to benefit from the expertise of Turkmen Afghan artisans, particularly those skilled in carpet weaving, and proposed the distribution of laptops among students to help them benefit from IT opportunities. During the session, Rana Mashhood said Pakistan’s economic recovery had begun, and Balochistan rich in natural resources such as minerals, livestock, and olive cultivation holds immense potential. “The world is changing fast, and our youth are becoming job creators rather than job seekers,” he stated, adding that Pakistan is among the few countries with a national AI policy. “Today, every system runs on a chip. The global economy once relied on petroleum, but now it depends on IT. The world’s doors are open for Pakistan,” he said. He announced that in addition to opportunities in the GCC and the Middle East, employment prospects for skilled Pakistani youth exist in Europe, South Korea, the United States, and Canada. “We are training young people to meet global job market demands,” he said. The advisor further revealed that an e-sports policy and federation were in the final stages of completion and praised the participation of over 30,000 boys and girls from Balochistan in the Talent Hunt cricket trials. Under the Youth Business and Agriculture Loan programme, he said, youth were being provided loans for business ventures, though last year only 11 percent of loan recipients were women despite a 25% allocation for them. Rana Mashhood also announced plans to establish a facilitation center at the Quetta Chamber to support entrepreneurship and skill development. He said the government aims to send 30,000 Balochistan youth trained through BTEVTA and NAVTTC abroad for employment within the next six months. “We will work together with the Chamber of Commerce to eliminate the sense of deprivation in Balochistan,” he affirmed. At the conclusion of the ceremony, a commemorative shield was presented to Rana Mashhood Khan. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025