Minister urges students to learn foreign languages

LAHORE: Punjab Higher Education Minister Syed Raza Ali Gillani has asked the students to study foreign languages to exploit emerging economic opportunities in wake of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. 

Addressing a 22-member delegation of students from Balochistan, Fata and KPK at Punjab University on Sunday, the minister said the Punjab government had promoted inter-provincial harmony in the youth by extending gratis educational facilities to the students belonging to other provinces. “This has given a strong message of hope and trust to students of federating units and helped them to excel in life through education”, he added.

The minister said students from Balochistan had been extended lifetime opportunity by the Punjab government to grow up and excel by getting free education in higher education institutions in Punjab, adding the government had extended educational scholarships to financially-challenged youth of other federating units so that they could continue their higher studies without being burdened.

“We want that the youth of all the provinces should educate and prosper; and for that purpose, we have provided equitable educational opportunities to them”, the minister said and added the government had started providing scholarships to the students for study of foreign languages abroad. He said CPEC was a mega project which has opened many new economic opportunities for the youth so they should be ready to reap these benefits by empowering themselves with the necessary talents.

The minister observed that the students exchange programme would help people understand each other and this would strengthen federation. He said CPEC will fully benefit Gwadar as different new educational and healthcare projects would be initiated in Balochistan to help raise quality of life there. The students spoke on the occasion and thanked the Punjab government for its support to their education.