15-party National Youth Alliance was formally formed the other day. Mazhar Mahmood Alvi, Rana Sultan and Owais Jamil were chosen as President, Secretary General and Secretary Information with consensus.

Addressing the office holders of the 15 youth organizations, Mazhar Mahmood Alvi said that the youth who comprise 60% of the country’s population will not be allowed to become irrelevant and redundant. He said that a country whose 60% of population is below the age of 29 cannot be expected to fall victim to terrorism, corruption, unemployment, economic stagnation, militancy and institutional breakdown. He said that if such a state has come about, it certainly is a matter of grave concern. He said that the youth of all political parties will summon their capabilities with the guidance of their respective leaderships and put them to the productive use for national causes.

Of the parties that became part of the National Youth Alliance included People’s Youth Organization, People’s Youth Federation, Muslim Students Federation, Muslim Youth Organization, Insaf Students Federation, Wahdat Youth, Jamhoori Wattan Party, Jamhoori Wattan Students, MQM-Youth, JI-Youth, MSM and others. Mansoor Qasim, Rana Sultan, Musa Khokhar, Sohail Cheema, Mubasher Gujjar, Rashid Riaz, Owais Jamil, Sajjad Naqvi, Kamran Saeed Usmani, Hasnain Nawaz, Mahar Saddam, Farid Razzaqi and Younis Noshahi unanimously formed the central body. It was decided in the meeting that the central body will work for six months and will prepare manifesto and other requisite documents. A 20-member Youth Council was also set up on the occasion.

National Youth Alliance will embark on the mission of raising awareness in the first phase of its struggle. Workshops and seminars will be held in all the major cities of the country in this regard.

Mazhar Alvi further said that the Alliance is apolitical in nature and the purpose of its formation is not only to identify the problems facing the youth but also to make efforts to get them resolved.

Ali Raza Natt congratulated all the newly elected members and said that all youth organizations should optimally utilize their energies in the pursuit of the shared objectives. He said that regular meetings of the Alliance will be held and the proposals to be mooted by the participating parties will be welcomed.