Promotion of education vital for progress: CM

LAHORE
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan is of all of us and collective efforts are required for its development and prosperity. He said the Punjab government was ready to enhance the quota of the students of Balochistan in educational institutions of Punjab and would take steps in this regard after consultation with Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Maalik.
The chief minister said that he would soon send his team to Balochistan for providing more facilities to the students of Balochistan in the educational institutions of Punjab. He said the Punjab government had included students of Balochistan, KP, Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir in his educational programmes. He said that national solidarity, harmony and brotherhood had been promoted due to inclusion of all units of Pakistan in the revolutionary programmes like cash prizes to position holders, study tours of talented students to foreign countries, laptop schemes, Danish Schools, and Punjab Educational Endowment Fund. He said the present government led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was taking solid measures for the development of Balochistan.
He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of female students of Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology, Khuzdar.
He gave laptops to two teachers and 40 students of Balochistan University of Engineering & Technology Khuzdar on behalf of the Punjab government. On the demand of the students, he announced constructing a school and sports complex in Khuzdar.
Addressing the students, Shahbaz Sharif said that dream of development could not be materialised without promotion of education. He said that acquiring of modern knowledge was the need of the hour; therefore, the Punjab government had made promotion of education its top priority and all units of the country had been included in its educational programmes.
He said the Punjab government had given its annual share of Rs11 billion to Balochistan in NFC Award and given Rs55 billion of its share to Balochistan during five years. He said that a cardiac hospital was being constructed in Quetta, for which Rs2 billion had been allocated. He said the precious time and resources of the nation had been wasted but we should not be disappointed and march forward by learning a lesson from the past. He said that due to the visit of female students of Balochistan to Punjab, provincial harmony would enhance and similar visits should be continued regularly. He said that Pakistan was comprised of four units, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir and our joys and sorrows were common.
He said that our elders had rendered numerous sacrifices for creation of Pakistan; country was achieved so that there could be rule of justice, honesty, trust and equality. He said that Pakistan is an atomic power and enemies cannot cast an evil eye. He said that Pakistan is facing big challenges like terrorism, extremism and energy crisis. He said that effective steps had been taken for coping with these challenges under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He said that Pakistan army is highly professional and organised and is famous all over the world; army is fighting against terrorists bravely, he said, adding that the war against those who killed innocent children of the nation will have to be won at every cost. He said many countries which lagged behind us have now taken lead. He said that loot and plunder had been rampant in the country and a joke was made in the name of accountability. He said that full attention was not paid to the education and health sectors, and, unfortunately the democratic governments were not allowed to complete their tenure. He said that the gulf between the poor and the rich had widened.
He said Pakistan could achieve its lost status by adopting principles of hard work, trust and honesty. He said that we have to march forward by learning lessons from the past and the accountability should be across the board. He said that judicious distribution of resources was essential for setting up a peaceful society. He said all political parties would have to be united on the agenda of development and prosperity of Pakistan and there was a need of working jointly for protecting this agenda.
He said national unity will have to be displayed for the protection of national interest and there should be no compromise on it. He expressed his belief that the dream of strong, stable, peaceful and developed Pakistan would certainly be materialised. He said that we have to set new examples of love and sacrifice and work hard for achieving a respectable place in the comity of nation.
The students talking on the occasion said that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had given them great affection upon which they were thankful to him. They said that Shahbaz Sharif was serving the people in the real sense and they had practically witnessed the development journey in Punjab.
Provincial Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, Begum Zakia Shahnawaz, Hameeda Waheed-ud-Din, Parliamentary Secretary on Schools Education Mrs Joyce Rufin Julius, MPAs, Vice-Chancellor Engineering University Lahore, Secretary Higher Education and Vice-Chancellor Balochistan University of Engineering & Technology Khuzdar Prof Brig. (R) M Amin were present on the occasion.