Political parties urged to reserve seats for youth in NA.

ISLAMABAD -- Political parties were asked on Thursday to involve youth in electoral affairs, incorporating them within their power structure and reserving seats for them in the National Assembly.

The call was given by participants at a Dialogue organised by Pildat and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Pakistan to discuss the 'Missing Young Voters of Pakistan' in Islamabad on November 10, 2022. The participants also expressed alarm over low turnout of young voters - only one fourth of whom exercise their right to franchise.

Dr Niels Hegewisch, Country Director, FES Pakistan, reiterated the German organisation's dedication towards creating socially democratic states around the globe. One of their aims in Pakistan is to promote the role and participation of youth in democratic practices of the country as 'infusing youth into politics and legislation is the true way of forming a representative democracy in a country.'

In her key remarks, Quratul Ain Fatima, Director Media Coordination and Outreach Wing of the ECP, shared key statistics on voters in Pakistan and different methods employed by the Election Commission of Pakistan to improve voter registration and turnout.

She said ECP's Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) and internship programmes were designed to engage young people and educate them on voting and elections.

Dr Ali Mohammad Malik, Deputy Secretary of Prime Minister's Youth Programme (PMYP) highlighted the efforts undertaken by Prime Minister's Office of Youth Affairs to engage youth of the country.

Dr Ali said: 'We need a responsive government that prioritises youth empowerment, employment, education and engagement further adding PMYP had begun the process of soliciting...