In Pakistan, Youth is defined as the population in the age group of 15 to 29 Years. The period of life which youth represents is most productive and useful by virtue of the nascent energies they are endowed with by nature. The young people aspire for full participation in the life of a society. If appropriate opportunities are made available to put their natural endowment to creative, productive and useful channels, Pakistani Youth is indeed capable of working miracles. In Pakistan, the youth population is at present more than forty million, which is about one forth of our total population.
Youth Affairs Division was established on June 12, 1989. As an economy measure it was merged with Ministry of Women Development on October 09, 1993. It was again made a separate Division on August 18, 1996 and was again merged with Ministry of Culture on November 19, 1996 as a Wing.
The Government again raised the status of the Youth Affairs Wing to a full-fledged Ministry on 18-11-2005 under the charge of Federal Minister and Minister of State (MOS) for Youth Affairs. Currently there is one Sr. Joint Secretary, two Deputy Secretaries and Five Section Officers on sanctioned strength of the Ministry of Youth Affairs.
The Federal cabinet in January 2009 approved the National Youth Policy which mandates the Youth Ministry to facilitate the stake holders on all aspects of youth related Activities. The Ministry is Supporting National and International Youth exchange Program, See Pakistan Visits/Tours, Youth Essay Writing Competition, National Youth Award, Holding Youth Conventions, Establishing Youth Development and Activity Centers and other activities including Computer Literacy etc.
The Ministry is also executing National Youth Internship Program which provides temporary job opportunities to 30,000 Youth annually with allocation rupees 3.6 billion for the year 2009-10.Every Internee is provided Rs10,000/- as a stipend per month.
To promote volunteerism in the country National Volunteer Movement (NVM) is also working as attached organization with Ministry of Youth Affairs.