Governor Chaudhry Sarwar links prosperity to tolerance, peace

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Ch Sarwar has said that Baba Fareed and Baba Guru Nanak have spread message of peace, humanity and tolerance and ‘we need to promote their teachings for establishing harmony in the world.’

He was addressing the inaugural session of Baba Fareed, Guru Nanak International Conference organised by Punjab University Department of Punjabi here on Wednesday.

Addressing the conference, Punjab Governor Ch Sarwar said that the countries facing terrorism, extremism and culture of intolerance could not prosper. Therefore, he said, Pakistan government was curbing these challenges for development of the country. He said, “We were providing minorities with their due rights and they had complete religious freedom.”

He said that even having extremely sore relations with India, as she had changed status of Occupied Kashmir and imposed curfew in the area, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced opening of Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh community on the eve of 550th birthday of Baba Guru Nanak and he fulfilled his promise. He said that Sikh community was standing shoulder to shoulder with Pakistani in foreign countries to protest against atrocities in Indian Occupied Kashmir.

He said: “If we followed the teachings of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), Sufis and Baba Guru Nanak, all our quarrels would come to an end.” However, he said, ‘we did not learn any lesson from history’. He said that the Muslims ruled the world as long as they were knowledgeable and they fell when they distanced themselves from knowledge. Sarwar said that ‘we must make collective efforts to promote Punjabi language’.

He said the enjoyment the Punjabi language had was not in any other language. He said that PU would be made role model to promote Punjabi language and other universities would follow it.

He said the government was establishing Aab-e-Pak Authority and the person who would be found involved in installing substandard water filtration plant would be sentenced to two years imprisonment.

He said Sikhs were generous and they were also helping us in various segments of life. He said that a Sikh philanthropist had donated water filtration plant, food machinery and donated Rs 25 million to Baba Guru Nanak chair. He appreciated PU Vice Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmad on establishing Baba Guru Nanak Chair. He said that a Punjabi festival would be organised at Governor House to promote Punjabi culture and traditions. He said that there was zero political interference in the universities and university matters were being dealt totally on merit. He said the government would extend full support to universities and we want to bring our universities among top 500 universities in the world.

Addressing the conference, PU VC Prof Niaz Ahmad thanked the governor for supporting universities in Punjab.