Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that nations do not progress through International Monetary Fund (IMF) programs, emphasising that Pakistan has already achieved the stability it needs.
Speaking at the launch of the Prime Minister Digital Youth Hub, he clarified that the $1 billion loan from the IMF is not earned income but borrowed funds.
The prime minister said the public is aware that a staff-level agreement has been reached with the IMF, but it is a loan of one million dollars — not something Pakistan has earned on its own.
He stressed that the younger generation’s hard work and skills must transform a life of debt into one of dignity. “I will go to the last extent to free you from this debt,” he said. “We need to economically empower our farmers, industrialists, and youth.”
PM Sharif said young people in Pakistan must be made capable of earning a respectable livelihood. “We will cut other expenses and allocate more funds for youth training,” he added, promising to serve the nation as its humble servant.
He stated that investing in the youth would lead Pakistan toward progress. “Today is a day of unique happiness.”
Reflecting on his tenure as Chief Minister of Punjab, he said education, health, and youth development had been top priorities. “If young people are trained in IT, AI, and vocational skills, they will become the country’s greatest asset,” he said, recalling the free distribution of 400,000 laptops to deserving students purely on merit.
“In today’s world, advanced technology is a necessity,” he added.
The prime minister also announced that Rs34 billion had flowed into the national treasury over the past three weeks. This amount had previously been stuck due to stay orders obtained by banks through the courts.
