ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced loan and laptop programmes for youth in an initiative aimed at promoting self-employment and entrepreneurship.

Addressing ceremony here, he said people in age bracket of 21 and 45 years could avail loan facility of up to Rs 7.5 million under these schemes. For IT and E-commerce businesses, lower age limit is 18 years.

 He said Pakistan is passing through difficult times and resolved that he would sacrifice all his political career and life for sake of country.

"I have served thrice as Chief Minister of Punjab and now serving as Prime Minister of country. What legacy we will leave behind if these issues are not addressed? It is clear that Pakistan is facing huge challenges and if we have taken responsibility, we will make our last-ditch efforts to steer country out of difficulties," he stressed.

He said it was their collective responsibility as Pakistanis, politicians and Muslims to respond to difficult situation and he would not even desist from sacrificing his life for country. He said in this path, problems would spring up but they would have to bear pain. Ppeople at helm of affairs, politicians and rich had to set an example as it was unfair to burden poor with price hike and let rich and elite enjoy country's loans, he added.

Expressing his optimism, he said youth had potential and talent and together they would steer Pakistan out of current issues. He praised them as "Shining stars on horizon of country". He said prime responsibility of addressing country's issues rested with government. They took reigns of government under most difficult times but despite all these ordeals, their resolve grew stronger to make Pakistan stronger, he added.

Meanwhile, Cabinet in meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved nationwide public awareness drive on conservation of power, water, gas and other resources to make people develop such habits.

PM expressing annoyance over widespread power breakdown said inconvenience caused to people was unacceptable and would not tolerate such happenings in future. He called for fixing responsibility of power outage which had caused difficulties for masses as well as business community. He instructed to identify factors behind power breakdown and take necessary measures to prevent its recurrence.

Cabinet was told that committee formed by PM in power outage had started functioning which would furnish comprehensive report after deliberating over all factors.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 25 2023

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