Islamabad (HRNW)- The President of the Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) of the National Assembly, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, MNA, led a YPF delegation to meet Syed Sardar Ali Shah, Minister for Education & Literacy, Sindh, at the Minister’s Office, on Thursday. The meeting focused on promoting youth leadership, preventing drug abuse, advancing environmental awareness, and strengthening youth participation in governance across Sindh. During the discussion, President YPF, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, underscored the growing vulnerability of students and out-of-school youth to drug abuse, bullying, mental health issues, and unsafe online practices. Both sides emphasized the critical need for early prevention through schools, colleges, and community-based programmes, supported by awareness-focused curricula, effective counselling mechanisms, and robust inter-ministerial coordination with the Health and Anti-Narcotics authorities. Further discussions focused on meaningful youth participation in governance beyond symbolic participation, structured civic education platforms, and leadership development programmes through mentorship, policy labs, and simulation exercises. The Youth Ambassador Programme, a flagship YPF initiative, was highlighted as a key tool to link students with parliament and provincial authorities, cultivating socially responsible and constitutionally aware youth. The meeting also underscored the significance of green initiatives and eco-literacy, with proposals to integrate environmental education and sustainable practices into schools and colleges, promote student-led climate action, and foster youth as advocates for environmental stewardship.
