Ahsan Iqbal urges youth to shift from slogans to solutions

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has urged young people to move from highlighting problems to developing practical solutions, as he inaugurated the Youth Ideation Lab in Islamabad. According to Daily K2, the minister said decisions taken today would have a significant impact on the country's younger generation.

Iqbal stressed that slogans alone were not enough and encouraged young people to focus on ideas that could be implemented and deliver measurable results. The lab is part of Bano Shaheen, a programme aiming to mobilise one million young people across Pakistan for social change. Under it, the existing network of 159 Young Peace and Development Corps chapters will engage young people, with plans to form 65 teams per chapter. The programme also aims to involve 100,000 university students in community activities.

Iqbal said Pakistan had overcome major challenges, including terrorism and energy shortages, but continued to face serious social issues such as population growth, malnutrition, health challenges and about 25 million out-of-school children. He said government and young people would need to work together to address these, particularly issues linked to social attitudes and behaviour.

The Youth Ideation Lab will provide a platform for young people from across the country to work collectively on social challenges. Participants will identify root causes, develop ideas and test solutions through collaborative approaches. Methods include Soft Systems Methodology and sprint- and scrum-based approaches. Monthly innovation sprints, TED-style talks, policy labs and Dragons' Den-style pitches will allow participants to develop and test ideas, interact with experts and present proposals.

Iqbal said the government intended to use the lab and the broader Bano Shaheen programme to give young people a greater role in shaping Pakistan's future. Work carried out over the coming year would contribute to developing a vision for Pakistan 2047, giving young people a direct role in long-term development planning.