MUZAFFARABAD, (Parliament Times) : The University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (UAJK), in collaboration with ACT International, Higher Education Commission (HEC), and UNFPA, hosted a seminar on the National Youth Helpline (NYHL) at the Chehla Campus. The event was attended by a large number of teachers, students, social activists, and people from diverse walks of life.
The seminar aimed to introduce the National Youth Helpline, its free-of-cost services, outreach, and role in assisting students with academic issues, psychological support, future planning, and guidance on various youth-related challenges. It also sought to build trust in the helpline as a reliable platform for young people seeking timely assistance.
Welcoming the participants, Dr. Kashif Iqbal, Dean Faculty of Health Sciences, expressed gratitude to ACT International, HEC, and UNFPA for organizing the program in collaboration with UAJK. He termed the initiative a positive step toward raising awareness, noting that such platforms help youth cope with educational, psychological, and social challenges in their daily lives.
Speaking on the theme “National Youth Helpline: Achievements, Rationale, and Sustainability”, HEC Deputy Director (R&AA) Riaz Ahmed Qureshi outlined the objectives and journey of ACT International. He highlighted the organization’s partnerships with UN agencies and national institutions, noting its services across multiple districts of Pakistan in areas including women, children, and youth affairs. He emphasized that the National Youth Helpline is an essential platform offering guidance, counseling, and constructive planning for the bright future of young people.
Kanwal Kashif, Manager NYHL, delivered a presentation on “Services, Outreach, and Impact of the Helpline”. She underscored its role in addressing psychological stress, mental health challenges, and reproductive health concerns among youth. “Our mission is to be the voice of every young person and to provide timely and effective support for their problems,” she said, noting that thousands of students have already benefited from the helpline.
Dr. Mudasar Hafeez from UAJK spoke on “Psychological and Social Challenges Faced by Youth”. He explained that young people today struggle not only with exams and grades but also with identity, purpose, and future direction. “Education should not be limited to textbooks,” he said. “Its purpose must be to shape confident, balanced, and socially aware individuals.” He advised students to view failure as “not the end but a new beginning.”
In his concluding remarks, Prof. Dr. Syed Nadeem Haider Bukhari, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences, appreciated the organizers and said such awareness programs are the need of the hour. He urged students to speak openly about their challenges, benefit from such platforms, and continue their educational and career journeys with confidence and clarity.
A representative from UNFPA also lauded the initiative, describing NYHL as a successful platform providing timely guidance to youth in educational, psychological, and social matters, and praised the efforts of ACT International, HEC, UAJK, and all partners involved.
The seminar concluded with a group photograph, distribution of shields to the distinguished guests, and certificates to volunteer students who contributed to the event.
