Islamabad: The Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) and the Overseas Pakistanis Global Foundation (OPGF) have agreed to strengthen cooperation to empower Pakistan’s youth and deepen engagement with overseas Pakistanis through joint initiatives in entrepreneurship, skills development, digital innovation, and diaspora engagement.
According to a press release received here Thursday from the Overseas Pakistanis Global Foundation in New York, the understanding was reached during a meeting in New York between PMYP Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan and OPGF Chairman Zaheer Akhtar Mehr, where both sides discussed expanding collaboration to promote national development and create new opportunities for young Pakistanis at home and abroad.
Welcoming the OPGF delegation, Mashhood described overseas Pakistanis as one of the country’s greatest national assets, making remarkable contributions through remittances, investment, knowledge transfer, and professional expertise.
The OPGF delegation was led by Chairman Zaheer Akhtar Mehr and included General Secretary Mian Athar Hafeez and other senior office bearers.
Rana Mashhood said the government highly values the contribution of overseas Pakistanis and remains committed to introducing policies that facilitate their active participation in Pakistan’s economic and social development.
He said the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme is implementing a comprehensive strategy to provide educational opportunities, technical and vocational training, entrepreneurship support, digital skills, and employment prospects for young Pakistanis.
He added that empowering youth is essential for achieving sustainable economic growth and enhancing Pakistan’s competitiveness in the global economy.
The PMYP chairman emphasized that collaboration with organizations representing overseas Pakistanis would help build stronger links between the Pakistani diaspora and the country’s youth. He noted that Pakistani professionals living abroad possess international experience and expertise that could play an important role in innovation, technology transfer, business development and human resource capacity building.
He said creating platforms that connect overseas Pakistani professionals with talented young Pakistanis through mentorship, internships, investment opportunities, and professional networking would help prepare the country’s youth to compete successfully in an increasingly knowledge-based global economy.
Mehr briefed the PMYP chairman on the foundation’s mission and ongoing initiatives to safeguard the interests of overseas Pakistanis while strengthening their relationship with Pakistan.
He said OPGF has consistently worked to promote the welfare of the Pakistani diaspora and encourage greater engagement between overseas communities and national institutions.
Mehr said overseas Pakistanis have always demonstrated an unwavering commitment to Pakistan by supporting the country through remittances, humanitarian assistance, investment, and professional services. He stressed that these contributions require stronger institutional support and regular coordination with government organizations.
He reaffirmed OPGF’s commitment to working closely with the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme in launching joint initiatives that would engage overseas Pakistani youth and professionals in Pakistan’s development journey.
General Secretary OPGF Mian Athar Hafeez highlighted the need for effective institutional mechanisms to address issues faced by overseas Pakistanis while promoting stronger people-to-people contacts between the diaspora and Pakistan. He said overseas Pakistanis possess tremendous potential to contribute not only financially but also through knowledge sharing, investment, innovation, and community development initiatives.
During the meeting, both sides also discussed organizing joint seminars, conferences, youth exchange programmes, awareness campaigns, and leadership initiatives aimed at strengthening engagement with overseas Pakistani communities around the world.
They agreed to explore practical avenues of cooperation for promoting youth empowerment, encouraging entrepreneurship, enhancing skills development, supporting digital innovation, and facilitating greater participation of overseas Pakistanis in Pakistan’s economic and social development.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to maintaining close institutional coordination and transforming the discussions into concrete collaborative initiatives that would benefit overseas Pakistanis, empower Pakistan’s youth, and contribute to Pakistan’s long-term national development agenda.