Development Fellows program empowers youth to learn public policy matters: Ahsan Iqbal 40 YDFs takes oath from Minister

Dated : 22 November 2022

Federal Minister for Planning Development & Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday reiterated that government is committed to provide opportunities to the youth and Young Development Fellows (YDFs) program is one the initiative, which was restarted aimed to empower them to learn public policy matters through this fellowship.
The Minister made these remarks while administering the oath of the 5th batch of 40 YDFs who have formally joined the Planning commission. The basic objective of this initiative is to empower the youth by integrating them in the Ministry, so they could learn and excel in their respective lives, '' said the Minister, while addressing the 5th batch of 40 YDFs. The oath-taking ceremony was attended by the scholars, lawyers, civil society activists and students.
The 5th batch of YDFs have joined the Ministry under this paid internship program initiated by the minister in 2013. However, in 2018 the previous government of PTI stopped this project and now this fellowship program has restarted. Under the program, the YDFs have been deputed in various sections of the ministry to learn the affairs of the government.
The Minister while highlighting the message of Allama Iqbal stressed the YDFs who were called “Iqbal kay Shaheen” to adopt the philosophy of great poet Iqbal. The Minister further said that the initiative was started to empower the youth so they could learn the public sector closely.
The previous government had stopped this project as a result youth of the country faced a problem but now this program has revived again to facilitate them, said the minister, while adding YDFs were selected through a competitive process from across the country.
After completing the one-year internship program the young fellows will be able to understand the affairs of the government and their fresh ideas will help the ministry as well, said the minister, while urging the students to play their constructive role in the society which has been polarized in recent years.
Shahzad Roy, a renowned singer, appreciated the step taken by the Planning Commission. “It’s a great step for youth to get working exposure in the ministry,” he added. He also suggested that Iqbal's poetry should be taught to the students in their native language so they could learn the real philosophy.
The panelists highlighted not only the relevance of Iqbal in contemporary times but also emphasized how his message is still inspire the youth of the country.