CPEC a landmark in history: Ahsan

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Professor Ahsan Iqbal chaired the Joint Working Committee on Pak-China Economic Corridor here in Islamabad Monday. The meeting was attended by the high officials from the Interior Ministry and security agencies.

In the meeting, Interior Minister said that projects of CPEC turned out to be landmark in the history of Pakistan. Pakistan has assumed the centre stage for the whole world on account of the economic importance of CPEC.

The Interior Minister asserted that the Pakistan and the other countries in the region will get the dividends from the economic repercussions attached with CPEC. He added that CPEC is a geographic and economic reality that will bring positive changes in favour of Pakistan as well as for the whole region.

Interior Minister noted that some foreign lobbyists are distressed at the economic progress in Pakistan. Interior Minister has directed the security agencies to enhance their professional capacity to provide better security cover for CPEC Projects. He also stated that Chinese travelling to Pakistan are our guests and any attack on their lives is tantamount to challenge the writ of the state.

While talking about the importance of maritime security the Interior Minister said that it is inevitable to safeguard the sea -trade routes associated with CPEC. In this connection, he directed coastguards to make proactive steps to ensure the security of all trade routes.

In the meeting,  the decision to institute  a taskforce was also taken  that will  share  with all the provinces the online /real time information regarding  Chinese travelling to Pakistan .

Meanwhile Interior Minister Professor Ahsan Iqbal presided over a meeting at Higher Education Commission on the implementation of National Action Plan today in Islamabad. Seventy vice chancellors of national universities participated in the meeting through live video conference.

In the meeting, the Interior Minister said that it is a matter of deep concern for us that   students of universities are found to be affiliated with the extremists organization. On the role of social media and its impact on youth , he stressed that our youth are oriented towards social media. After the information revolution , the battle of ideologies is under way at social media. It is our duty to undertake collective efforts to  prevent our youth from the accessibility of the  material based on extremist ideologies .  We have to ensure that our youth  use social media only for educational and healthy activities, he added.

He laid emphasis that we have to formulate a national narrative to counter the extremists agenda.  In this connection he stated that the youth must be imparted with the importance of peace enjoined by Islamic injunctions and vision of Pakistan.

The Interior Minister also said that government is devising a curriculum for the “ FridaySermons” that are mainly based on educating our citizens about practical life in the light of Quran and Hadith.

On the importance of participation in student politics, the interior Minister said that the students must be given opportunities to express their thoughts. The faculty in the universities must play their due role in the construction ofhought and ideology amongst the students.

The interior minister also asserted that the students in the universities must also be provisioned with the forum to hone their leadership qualities. In every university, career counselling mechanism must be formed to evaluate the potential of students for better avenues in future.

The students must be enjoined to tolerate the difference of opinion of their peers and the society. Talking on the upcoming International Peace Day on September 21, the Minister emphasised to celebrate it with fervour in all universities of Pakistan. He said that the day must be marked in every university with the resolve to spread the message of peace among our youth and apprise them with the counter narrative against extremism.