(Asghar Ali Mubarak)
ISLAMABAD (TNS) The Commonwealth Asia Youth Alliance (CAYA) Summit in Pakistan has decided the future of the youth of the Commonwealth countries, Pakistan is a founding member of the new Commonwealth and a very important country for the Commonwealth.
At present, the Commonwealth consists of 56 countries, many countries have become part of it due to its values.
Pakistan is also leading the Commonwealth Youth Agenda. Pakistan also holds the presidency of the Youth Ministers Meeting. The platform, which started at the Jinnah Convention Center, Islamabad, is providing an amazing opportunity for youth to express their talents and take steps for global change.
Young leaders from the Commonwealth countries are getting the opportunity to present their ideas on climate change, digital development and other major challenges.
Young leaders, policymakers and other stakeholders are participating from across the region,. (CAYA) Summit in Islamabad where young leaders are not only expressing their views but will also benefit from ongoing initiatives for development at the national and international levels.
Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif says that the future of the Commonwealth countries depends on the youth, 60 percent of the population of the Commonwealth member countries is below 30 years of age, and we have to develop the capabilities of the youth.
Addressing the Commonwealth Asia Youth Alliance Summit in Islamabad, the Prime Minister said that it is a pleasure to host the Commonwealth Asia Youth Alliance Summit, I welcome the participants on behalf of the government and the people, Pakistan, as a founding member, recognizes the importance of the Commonwealth and its institutions, the Commonwealth is a platform for excellent partnership between the member countries.
He said that 60 percent of the population of the Commonwealth member countries is below 30 years of age, the future of the Commonwealth countries depends on the youth, we have to develop the capabilities of the youth, equip the youth with modern technology and technical education, the youth are the guarantee of a peaceful and prosperous future.
The Prime Minister said that 70 percent of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 30 and we fully realize this potential and encourage that this is a challenge that can easily be transformed into great opportunities.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said that youth are not only the leaders of the future but they are also the change makers today, it is important that we provide them with such platforms, opportunities and capabilities so that they can contribute to nation building and decision-making and ensure that their ideas and energy can become a beacon for us. The role of youth in nation building cannot be denied in any way, which is why Pakistan has always given the utmost importance to the constructive use of youth, in my 40 years of political life, I have always made serious efforts to achieve this goal and have used young and constructive hands to fulfill my mission and unwavering commitment to nation building.
The Prime Minister said that my government is taking steps to make the youth talented through revolutionary measures. Our flagship youth program, which has been running since 2011, has empowered millions of young boys and girls not only in Punjab but also across the country.
He said that as the servant of Punjab and the then Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, I have made millions of youth sponsors instead of becoming a burden on their families.
On this occasion, the Prime Minister also gave the example of the Punjab Endowment Fund and Danish Schools. Under the youth program, Pakistan has provided laptops to 600,000 high-performing youth, who belonged to poor families but were mentally very smart and these laptops became an important means of education during Corona. These laptops became a source of employment through their hard work. Recall that on May 5, 2023, a historic ceremony was held in the United Kingdom. Two thousand distinguished guests attended the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla. The Commonwealth was well represented at the coronation ceremony of the King. The Commonwealth leaders also included Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
King Charles formally assumed the throne of the United Kingdom, which consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. King Charles had assumed the responsibility of leading the Commonwealth in 2018, following the death of the late Queen in September 2022, under a unanimous agreement of Commonwealth leaders. King Charles, like his mother, is committed to promoting the Commonwealth and its values.
The coronation is of symbolic importance for the organization of 56 nations. How the Commonwealth has benefited two and a half billion people and what the Commonwealth offers, especially to Pakistan, which is close to the King’s heart.
As King Charles himself acknowledges, a fundamental advantage that the Commonwealth offers its members is its unparalleled size: “We are blessed with the intelligence and imagination of a third of the world’s population, 1.5 billion people under the age of 30.
Our shared humanity is rich in an immense treasure trove of thought, culture, tradition and experience. We will find many of the solutions we need from each other’s experiences.” It is this “size” that gives the Commonwealth the courage to face the most important challenges facing the world, which require international cooperation.
It is this that enables Commonwealth member states to seize the vast global economic opportunities available. That is why Commonwealth leaders are re-committing to the goal of expanding investment and increasing intra-Commonwealth trade to US$2 trillion by 2030.
The UK has been a staunch advocate for intra-Commonwealth trade. We want to go further to expand investment partnerships among Commonwealth countries, remove unnecessary barriers to trade and achieve the potential of the ‘Commonwealth Advantage’.
All of this is beneficial for Pakistan’s long-term economic development. Another important benefit of Commonwealth membership is access to international expertise, particularly in areas such as youth development and education.
Global demographic change is a major challenge for many developing countries. Pakistan is the fifth largest ‘young country’ in the world, with 63% of its population aged 15 to 33. Equipping our youth with the skills they need to meet the changing needs of our economies is a global goal.
Developing our youth population with the skills needed to deliver the ‘demographic dividend’ and ensure stability and sustainable economic growth is a shared challenge for Pakistan and other developing Commonwealth countries. The Commonwealth is providing solutions to these shared challenges. It also aims to encourage young people to take up the opportunities offered by the Commonwealth Youth Programme, providing access to global networks and development opportunities for Commonwealth youth and providing a wide range of scholarships.
The start of Commonwealth education support for Pakistan has already been impressive, with 1,341 Pakistanis awarded Commonwealth Scholarships last year. This year alone, 114 students from Pakistan are studying in the UK on scholarships, and this offer is set to grow this year with the launch of the Commonwealth Trust Pakistan Chapter, which provides financial support, practical requirements and networks to support young entrepreneurs in the areas of agriculture and food, education and employment, environment, health and community.
The benefits of the Commonwealth are like an iceberg floating in the ocean, only ten percent of which is visible to us. From stability to trade, youth development, the modern Commonwealth is here to improve the future of our countries.
Remember that this organization was established in 1926 when the British Empire began to decline. The Commonwealth is an organization consisting of 53 countries. It includes most of the countries that were colonies of the British Empire in the past. The affairs of the Commonwealth are run in consultation with the member countries.
The foundations of the Commonwealth were laid when the sun of British imperialism began to set after the beginning of the twentieth century and the colonies began to gain independence. The foundation of the current Commonwealth is the London Declaration of 1949, in which all member countries are considered equal and independent.
The area of the Commonwealth countries is 20 percent of the world’s land area and these countries are spread over six continents. Their population is about one-third of the world’s population. According to the London Declaration, Queen Elizabeth is the head of the Commonwealth. 16 member countries recognize King Charles as their king.
This position in the Commonwealth is symbolic. The decision-making body is the meeting of the heads of the Commonwealth member countries. Pakistan is the largest Commonwealth country in terms of population after India. Membership of the Commonwealth is voluntary and can be left at any time.
On January 30, 1972, Pakistan withdrew from the organization in protest at the recognition of Bangladesh. Pakistan rejoined the organization on August 2, 1989. Remember that at the Commonwealth Summit, the heads of state agreed to promote trade and investment, which is expected to increase mutual trade between the Commonwealth countries to $2 trillion by 2030.
The implementation of the Commonwealth Blue Charter Ocean Action against cybercrime in the Declaration is also one of the important decisions taken at the meeting, as is the promotion of mutual contacts and investment and the agreement on guidelines for observers in Commonwealth elections.
The Commonwealth includes 53 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa, which are one-third of the world’s population. The major countries include the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and developing countries Pakistan, India and Bangladesh are also part of this organization.
Pakistan is the second largest country in the Commonwealth after India in terms of population. At present, there is a race among the major powers around the world to promote maximum trade and reap economic benefits. Everyone has realized the fact that without development in the economic field, no country can achieve an important position in the world and its role is not recognized in the decisions taken at the global level. Keeping this fact in mind, the world powers have promoted science and technology to the maximum to prove their superiority in the economic field and today they are earning trillions of dollars annually from the technology business.
European countries have emphasized on strengthening relations by putting aside mutual grievances and differences to promote trade and have formulated effective laws to remove obstacles in the way of mutual transportation.
They formed organizations under different names, including the European Union and the Commonwealth, to ensure easy access to their trade goods to other countries, set different objectives and targets to maintain their superiority in the fields of science, technology and economy, and worked day and night to achieve them.
Now the British Prime Minister’s announcement to increase the mutual trade of the Commonwealth countries to $2 trillion is also in fact to promote the trade and investment of European countries. China and India are rapidly making their place in the mutual trade of the Commonwealth.
What is the place and what is the share of Pakistan in this trillion-dollar trade? It is a very sad fact that Pakistan could not gain any important place in the global market due to its policies and today the situation has reached such a point that it is facing a large-scale trade deficit in the field of imports and exports. Now Pakistan has taken a positive step by deciding to increase its trade. On the other hand, the economic crisis has brought new challenges. While the reality is that “Uraan Pakistan” is a ray of hope, a five-year program under the supervision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, presented to the nation, which is expected to enable Pakistan to reap maximum economic benefits from mutual trade with Commonwealth countries.
