Young leaders from south Punjab meet to fortify climate action, democratic governance

MULTAN, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Jun, 2026) Nearly 200 young people from South Punjab convened in Multan for a week to deliberate on the climate, governance and development challenges facing their communities and to build the skills and knowledge needed to engage with the institutions responsible for addressing them.

Participants from four district Youth Assemblies including Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Jhang, and Kot Addu engaged with elected representatives, disaster management experts and government officials, debated policy in parliamentary-style sessions, and passed resolutions calling for stronger youth inclusion in local governance.

The sessions are part of the three-year action “Rising Leaders: Youth in Climate Leadership & Governance,” co-funded by the European Union and implemented by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) and the Social Youth Council of Patriots (SYCOP).

Each of the four DYAs (comprising 50 members each) participated in a two-day (June 10th and 11th) programme combining civic education, parliamentary-style debate, expert dialogue, formal voting exercises and digital skills training.

Sessions opened with oath-taking ceremonies and inaugural addresses by senior government officials, including Sarfraz Ahmed, Special Secretary Higher Education South Punjab, Tanveer Jhandeer, Additional Secretary Irrigation South Punjab, and Dr. Ali Mehdi, Director General Health Services South Punjab. They stressed that young people have a critical role to play in strengthening democratic governance and community resilience, encouraging participants to embrace volunteerism, promote tolerance, and take an active role in addressing local challenges.

The first day focused on understanding the challenges facing participants' districts. Interactive discussions on the topic "How Is Climate Change Affecting Your District?" featured policymakers and disaster management experts.

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Addressing the participants, Muhammad Ajmal Khan Chandia, MPA and Parliamentary Secretary for Higher Education, stated that youth must play an active role in environmental protection, tree plantation, efficient water management, and disaster preparedness. Drawing on their practical experiences, Irfan Sial, Coordinator District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) Muzaffargarh, and Karamat Ali, Coordinator DDMA Layyah, shared their expertise on early warning systems, flood emergency response, riverine flooding risks, and long-term adaptation measures. Participants engaged with the structure of Pakistan's democratic institutions — the roles of the legislature, executive and judiciary, and the different tiers of government through which decisions affecting their communities are made.

The second day focused on practical action, with participants receiving training on how to engage with government as citizens and as young leaders — including how to file Right to Information (RTI) requests, engage with Standing Committees, and contest or participate in local government elections. The sessions made clear that democratic participation does not begin and end at the ballot box, and that young people have concrete mechanisms to hold institutions accountable and advocate for their communities.

Addressing participants, Jeroen Willems, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Pakistan, emphasized that young people in South Punjab are among those most affected by climate change and should be empowered as stakeholders in shaping responses to climate and governance challenges. He noted that the European Union’s support for the initiative reflects its commitment to strengthening inclusive, participatory governance in Pakistan.