Introduction
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formally launched Pakistan’s first National Youth Employment Policy (NYEP) on August 12, 2026, under the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme.[1] Pakistan’s population was estimated at 252.1 million in 2025, with around two-thirds below 30. The 15–29 age group alone numbers nearly 67 million.[2]
This demographic profile creates an opportunity for growth, but the dividend depends on access to productive work. The NYEP matters because it brings employment, skills, entrepreneurship and labour-market information within a common national framework.
