Wajiha Qamar Leads World Youth Skills Day 2025 at NSU Islamabad

In the morning of July 15, the National Skills University was full of energy and excitement as it joined the world in celebrating World Youth Skills Day 2025. This special occasion marked ten years of global efforts to help young people build skills for a better future. This year’s theme, “Youth Empowerment through AI and Digital Skills, ” fits perfectly with the university’s focus on preparing students for the modern, tech-driven world. The day’s highlight was an impressive and graceful keynote by the Minister of State for Education, Ms. Wajiha Qamar. She spoke with both passion and purpose, participated in a walk for the day, encouraging young people to embrace new technologies and play a leading role in shaping the future Ms. Qamar began her remarks with an unflinching acknowledgment of immense changes unfolding in the global economy. “Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant concept. It is shaping the way we live, work, and imagine our futures. Our challenge and our responsibility is to ensure that Pakistan’s youth are not left watching from the sidelines,” she said. Her words struck a chord with the assembled students, faculty, and dignitaries, many of whom are directly engaged in the university’s expanding digital skills and AI education initiatives. With urgency and optimism, Ms. Qamar spoke of a future where AI is not the privilege of the few but the right of every learner, regardless of gender, geography, or socioeconomic background. She praised the efforts of the National Skills University Islamabad in making AI and digital tools accessible, particularly to those often left behind in the country’s educational reforms. Her recognition of a female civil engineering technology student from the NSU honored with a cash prize for her innovative work in skills education became a powerful symbol of what inclusive, future-forward education looks like in practice. The minister’s tribute to the university’s transformation was both personal and professional. She highlighted the visionary leadership of Founding Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar, noting how a once-neglected institutional site has become a model of excellence and ambition. “Dr. Mukhtar has not only built classrooms and laboratories, he has created a culture where practical knowledge is valued, and where skills education is treated not as second-tier, but as a national priority,” she said. It was a moment of collective validation for an institution that has steadily expanded its reach through smart classrooms, hands-on training, and international partnerships. The spirit of the day was not merely ceremonial. Several university staff were recognized for their consistent contributions to advancing skills education in Pakistan. The atmosphere was one of celebration, yes, but also of reflection of understanding that the mission of preparing youth for a fast-changing world demands constant adaptation, sustained investment, and a refusal to let anyone be left behind. As the event closed, Ms. Qamar returned to the theme of the day, reminding the audience that the rise of AI is not just a technological revolution, but a human one. “What we need today is not just intelligent machines, but wise societies. We must ensure that our young people are equipped with not only the tools of innovation but the ethics of responsibility,” she said.