Webinar: Youth Policy Dialogue with Policy Makers: Role of Ethics in Politics – How Can the Youth Influence, Change or Create Public Policy Decisions
Date: August 12, 2021

Summary:

International Youth Day is commemorated every year on 12^th August. This year, Transparency International Pakistan organized a fascinating discussion on the role of ethics in politics and how can the youth influence, create, or change public policy decisions on August 12^th 2021 via Microsoft Teams. Around 70 participants attended the event including students from different universities, civil society and youth networks of different political parties. TI Pakistan was able to invite representatives of different political parties to offer their perspective on the complex yet intriguing relationship between ethics and politics and what opportunities different political parties and leadership aspire to provide for the youth of Pakistan.

Eng Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Sindh represented Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Member National Assembly (MNA) represented Pakistan Muslim League (N), Syed Waqas Anjum Jaferi, Deputy Secretary JI and Ex Nazim-e-Ala Jamiat-e-Talaba, represented Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan and Nayab Javed Laghari, President Provincial PPP Youth wing and Special Assistant to CM Sindh represented Pakistan Peoples Party.

Justice (R) Nasira Iqbal, Vice-Chairperson TI Pakistan delivered the opening remarks. She highlighted that until we support and empower 64% of our population which is the youth, we cannot progress and prosper. She emphasized on the need to engage young people in the political process in the light of the teachings and poetry of Allama Muhammad Iqbal.

Eng. Firdous Shamim Naqvi argued his party believes in young people and had allocated tickets to young party representatives to contest elections in 2018. He also highlighted that PTI has number of parliamentarians who are young. He emphasized that the low literacy rate is one the main reasons why our youth is not much active. He argued that we need intellects in our political system to move forward and achieve our destination defined by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Syed Waqas Anum Jaferi, Deputy Secretary Jamaat-i-Islami said that as we have developed Charter of Democracy, it is the time that we should also have Charter of Morality. Mr. Javed Nayab Laghari shared that the provincial government of PPP in Sindh has passed Youth Policy 2018 which envisions engaging youth at Tehsil and District Level for their education, empowerment and job placement. While Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaj, MNA PMLN highlighted that the Skill Development is the most revolutionized way to develop capacity of youth and prepare them for future employment opportunities.

It was also highlighted that Youth in Pakistan are aware of and surrounded by corrupt practices from a very early age, and how young people are taught to respond to corrupt practices, lack of transparency, accountability and integrity plays a vital role in determining their future behavior and the democratic culture of the society as a whole. With a large and growing percentage of the population in Pakistan under the age of 30, engaging young people around the democratic values and processes is essential for long-term democratic stability and anti-corruption efforts in Pakistan.

The webinar also provided an opportunity to the young people to have an interaction with the representatives of different political parties. The participants asked questions as to what opportunities political leaders and parties seek to provide for them. The even ended with many young participants expressing their opinions and sharing the challenges youth faces in Pakistan.