Laptop Quota for Balochistan Students Increased from 10,000 to 18,000: Rana Mashhood
Quetta: Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, **Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan**, announced that the **laptop quota for Balochistan students has been raised from 10,000 to 18,000**, under the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Speaking at the **Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI)** on Tuesday, Rana Mashhood said that following the success of **Operation Bunyān al-Marsūs**, Pakistan’s economy is now on the path to recovery, and international trade doors have reopened for the country.
He highlighted that Balochistan has immense potential in the **olive cultivation** and **mining and minerals** sectors, and that youth in the province are increasingly becoming **job creators** rather than job seekers. He further shared that under the **National Youth Employment Policy**, **35% women participation** in the labor force has been approved.
Rana Mashhood added that Pakistan is among the few countries to have formulated a **national Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy**, and that employment opportunities for skilled Pakistani youth are opening up across the **Middle East, Europe, South Korea, Canada, and the United States**.
The Chairman revealed that the government has **increased NAVTTC funding** and aims to **double foreign exchange earnings** within the next three years. He also announced plans to introduce Pakistan’s **first-ever eSports policy**.
Emphasizing the talent of Balochistan’s youth, Rana Mashhood said the **Prime Minister’s Youth Programme** is committed to providing them with the necessary platforms and opportunities. He called for **greater cooperation between federal and provincial governments**, adding that consultations with the Chamber of Commerce are underway regarding **youth business and agricultural loans**.
He also mentioned that **Saudi Arabia will require Pakistani labor** for upcoming FIFA World Cup projects, and that of the **700,000 youth registered on the Digital Youth Hub**, **70,000 belong to Balochistan**.
Rana Mashhood concluded that **promoting tourism in Balochistan** can help bridge feelings of deprivation and that the **PML-N leadership saved Pakistan from default**.
On the occasion, **QCCI President Haji Ayub Maryani** assured full cooperation in empowering youth and women through skill development to achieve economic stability.
