Wasi Shah urges proactive role of youth for environmental protection

Karachi: The Caretaker Minister of State for Tourism and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, Syed Wasi Shah on Monday urged youth to actively engage in government’s efforts aimed at alleviating impacts of climate change.

He was addressing the closing ceremony of Prime Minister’s Green Enovate Conference on liquid and solid Waste Management. The conference was jointly organized by Prime Minister Youth Programme Green Youth Movement (GYM) and Higher Education Commission Pakistan at IBA University Karachi.

The state minister underscoring the need of raising awareness about climate change, its grave implications, measures to subside its impacts and engagement of youth for the purpose assured every possible support for the cause of improving the environment. He hoped that conference will prove a source of inspiration for better and bright future of Pakistan and provide the youth opportunities of moving ahead.

He said that Green Youth Movement is a flagship program of the Prime Minister’s Youth Program which was not only opening employment opportunities for youth of the country but also playing an important role in making the environment sustainable.

He informed  that youth clubs were set up in 137 universities across the country and over 80000 students are part of the initiative. One of the objectives of GYM is subsiding the environmental pollution through recycling of solid and liquid waste and improving the environment, he said adding that it was not only a source of livelihood but also a laudable service to country and the humanity.

He said that the government is making every possible effort to guide the youth in the right direction and promote entrepreneurship among the youth. By doing their own business, the youth can not only earn dignified employment but can also become a source of employment for more people, he added.

The state minister said that the young people participating in the conference were representing the entire Pakistan and their participation demonstrate that if you move forward with firm determination you will achieve your destiny. Wasi Shah congratulated the youth who were selected in the conference and said that the ideas presented by the youth in today’s conference are a source of inspiration.

The state minister specially called two young men from Balochistan on the stage whose idea of use of biodegradable shopping bags with AI feature for checking PH of food stored within them achieved global recognition. Wasi Shah said that these young men belonging to far flung areas of Balochistan are an inspiring message for the entire youth of the country that if you have will and determination you will attain success.

The event brought together young innovators, industry experts, and government officials to discuss sustainable solutions. The event also featured a pitching session where young innovators presented their ideas on waste management. Director planning and development, HEC, Irfan ullah presented an overview of the overwhelming response to startup ideas for GreenEnovate Solid and Liquid Waste Management and Green Youth movement Project.

He informed that a thorough screening process involving three stages evaluated 622 applications received and selected 9 innovative ideas for the final pitches. Program Specialist UNICEF, Mome Saleem moderated a panel discussion in which Vice President Special Projects ENGRO Corporation Abdul Qayoom Shaikh, Project Director National Incubation Center Hyderabad Azfar Hussain, Environmental Policy Analyst Sindh Munib Ali Faridi, and Gazzalla of UNICEF discussed potential partnerships between youth and the private sector in waste management sector.

The keynote speech was delivered by Pakistani Journalist and Media Development Specialist Afia Salam while a session with Ruth Gutierrez Corley from CYCN provided insights into sustainable waste management practices.

At the occasion, the state minister and SAPM distributed cheques among the youth who got positions based on ideas. Prize cheques of Rs 0.5 million, Rs 0.3 m and Rs 0.2 m were distributed to the youth who secured the first, second and third positions respectively. Earlier, Wasi Shah visited the exhibition area and appreciated the efforts of the exhibitors.