LAHORE: (Thursday, April 18, 2024): Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood has said that a major portion of Pakistan’s population consists of youth and it is a big challenge for the universities to produce skilled youth according to the need of emerging trends in the relevant fields to address employment issues. He was addressing an awareness seminar organized by the Transport & Masstransit Department, Government of the Punjab and Bank of Punjab in the PU Institute of Education and Research’s Waheed Shaheed Hall here on Thursday, regarding the provision of motorbikes to students under the Chief Minister’s Youth Initiative. On this occasion, Secretary Transport Dr Ahmad Javed Qazi, Registrar Dr Ahmad Islam, Director Students Affairs Dr Muhammad Ali Klasra, Director General Information Technology Dr Kamran Abid, faculty members, officials from PHEC, PITB and Punjab Bank and a large number of students were present. In his address, Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood said that we should praise the government’s good initiatives. He said that the government's laptop scheme for students, free internet scheme and now the e-bike scheme following strict merit criteria are definitely laudable steps taken by the government for the welfare of youth. He said that PU has 60 buses to provide travel facilities to students which are becoming insufficient due to the increase in the number of students and this scheme will be useful to meet this challenge as well. He said that especially the female students should take advantage of this scheme. Secretary Transport Dr Ahmad Javed Qazi said that young students are the future of Pakistan and it is their right to get ease in getting education. He said that the aim of the government initiatives is to ensure access of students to institutions and provision of quality education. He said that according to the vision of the Chief Minister Punjab, the scheme has been kept interest-free and easy for students. He said that students should play a role for the development of the country and the nation by acquiring expertise in their subjects. Earlier, Dr Wasim briefed the participants regarding the scheme.