Karachi (GNP): The Salt Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (SMAP), working in collaboration with the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), has successfully completed the first phase of a youth skill development programme designed to equip young Pakistanis with technical expertise and entrepreneurial capacity.
The initiative provided 75 students in Quaidabad with hands-on training in mining techniques, import-export documentation, value addition and other industry-related practices, aiming to align youth skills with market demands so participants can secure employment or launch their own ventures.
SMAP Chairperson Saima Akhtar and former Chairman Qasim Yaqoob Paracha described the completion of the Punjab training as a milestone for the programme, announcing that its next phase will begin next month across Karachi, Khewra, Toba and Layyah, with a target of training 250 young men and women.
Paracha said the success of the first phase had encouraged the association to expand the initiative further, noting that industry-linked training remains vital for creating employment opportunities and strengthening Pakistan’s export potential.
Akhtar echoed this outlook, saying that preparing youth for mining, value addition and trade would help strengthen local industry and boost exports, while adding that collaboration between industry and training institutions is key to achieving sustainable growth. SMAP leaders also credited Shah Shamas ul Arifeen, Coordinator for SMAP, along with NAVTTC teams and partner training institutes, for their role in making the first phase a success.
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Leaders of the association emphasised that equipping youth with modern, industry-relevant skills remains essential for Pakistan’s economic stability, framing the programme as part of a broader commitment to national development through employment generation, entrepreneurship and export growth.
Saima Akhtar said, “SMAP remains committed to supporting national development by fostering employment, entrepreneurship, and export growth.”
