Philip Morris (Pakistan) Limited (PMPKL) celebrated the completion of its Skills Training Project 2026, empowering around 1,000 youth from tobacco-growing communities during a graduation ceremony in Swabi on September 3, 2026.

Launched in 2021, the project aims to eliminate the risk of child labor by providing vocational training and skills development for adolescents from contracted tobacco farmers. In 2026, 964 youths aged 13 to 17 completed the training, with boys learning Building Electrician and Agricultural Sciences, and girls trained in Tailoring, Embroidery, and Food Preparation. All participants received accredited certificates and starter toolkits.

Ms. Sabeeha Hastam, Assistant Commissioner, Tehsil Razar, praised PMPKL’s efforts to enhance economic opportunities, particularly for young women. Abid Javed, Director Leaf PMPKL, emphasized the importance of investing in youth, noting that the project has empowered nearly 5,000 boys and girls since its inception. The event concluded with the distribution of certificates, celebrating the graduates’ achievements and reaffirming PMPKL’s commitment to sustainable development in the community.