Special Correspondent
UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan’s Youth Delegation, nominated by the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP), participated in the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum 2026, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to youth empowerment and meaningful youth participation in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
During the Forum’s high-level engagements, the Pakistani delegates emphasized that youth leadership must move beyond symbolic inclusion and be placed at the centre of policy, innovation and institution-building.
In national statements, they highlighted that with over 60 percent of its population under the age of 30, the country sees youth as partners in shaping inclusive development, climate resilience and social cohesion. They also underscored Pakistan’s strong focus on SDG 6 (safe water and sanitation), noting that for countries facing climate stress and water scarcity, water security is not only a development priority but also a test of resilience, equity and sustainability.
The Pakistani youth delegation also outlined ongoing national measures to empower youth through the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, including the Green Youth Movement and the National Volunteer Corps, aimed at environmental stewardship and community-based climate solutions.
They also highlighted the National Youth Development Framework (ages 10–29) developed through consultations led by the National Youth Council, as well as evidence-based planning supported through a Digital Youth Hub.
In their interventions, the delegates stressed that progress on water and sanitation also depends on a cooperative international environment and responsible management of shared water resources.
They identified three priorities: strengthening cooperation on shared waters on the basis of equity and mutual benefit; investing in youth-led innovation in water conservation, sanitation and climate adaptation; and building regional partnerships so water becomes a source of sustainable development and peace.
The delegates further highlighted national efforts to expand opportunities for young people through education, employment, engagement and environment. They noted that around 720,000 young people have received skills training, more than 600,000 laptops have been distributed, and over 535,000 beneficiaries have accessed business and agriculture loans.
The delegation underscored the importance of inclusion, especially for young women and youth with disabilities, and called for expanded participation of youth in governance, scaled-up investment in education and decent work, and stronger youth leadership in peacebuilding and climate action.
The Pakistan delegation engaged actively across the three-day Forum, participating in plenary sessions, contributing to thematic and side events, moderating discussions in parallel sessions, and holding bilateral and multilateral meetings with key stakeholders.
The delegation also interacted with the President of the ECOSOC Youth Forum, senior leadership of the UN Youth Office at Assistant Secretary-General level, the President of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), the Youth Minister of Zambia, and youth representatives from several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Azerbaijan, the United Kingdom and France, to strengthen collaboration and exchange good practices.
The Pakistani delegation comprised Mr. Amsal Zaman (Deputy Director, PMYP), Ms. Bisma Qamar (Member, National Youth Council – USA Chapter), Mr. Fakhar Jabran (Member, National Youth Council – AJK Chapter), Mr. Fsahat ul Hassan (Coordinator to Chairman PMYP on OIC), and Mr. Rahim Sattar (Youth Delegate, Chicago).
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad stated that the participation of its youth delegation at the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2026 reflects a continued national focus on empowering young people and ensuring their meaningful inclusion in global development discussions, while advancing youth-led solutions for sustainable development at home and internationally.
