Islamabad:Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) has welcomed its Internship Cohort 2026 marking the beginning of a structured orientation and five-day training programme for young university students and graduates interested in economics, public policy, data science, management sciences, and information technology.
Speaking at the orientation session, Dr Nadeem Javaid, Vice-Chancellor, PIDE, linked the internship programme with Pakistan’s broader development ambition under URAAN Pakistan, calling for a national journey towards a trillion-dollar economy by 2035.
He emphasised that Pakistan stands at a critical crossroads and must address deep-rooted challenges, including the youth bulge, weak export performance, low human capital, climate vulnerability, energy constraints, social disparities, policy discontinuity and fiscal pressures through evidence-based and people-centred policymaking.
He stressed that Pakistan’s development challenge is not merely economic but also a human development emergency. He noted that countries which invested in education, skills, population management, female workforce participation and export competitiveness moved ahead while weak education outcomes continue to limit Pakistan’s growth potential.
