If encouraging youth is a crime, I am guilty: CM

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said if encouraging students is a crime, he will keep doing it again and again and death with dignity is better than going around the world begging. He said the youth should strive for changing the existing system that is rife with corruption to build a new Pakistan. He was addressing the laptop distribution ceremony at University of Engineering and Technology on Tuesday.
He said there was a need to bring about a revolution in Pakistan, adding that the students should utilise the laptops as an instrument for the construction of a strong and prosperous Pakistan in the light of the ideals of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal. Advisor to CM Begum Zakiya Shahnawaz, Special Assistant Khawaja Salman Rafique, Zaeem Hussain Qadri, MNA Ahsan Iqbal, members national and provincial assemblies, educationists, teachers, parents and a large number of students were present on the occasion.
The CM said that young generation was the guarantee to a glorious future of the country and Punjab government had taken unprecedented measures for equipping it with modern knowledge. He said besides helping in meeting financial expenses of students and establishment of computer labs in schools and setting up of Daanish schools, talented students were also being given laptops on merit for their encouragement. He said these laptops were an acknowledgement of the hard work, talent and merit of these students. He stressed upon students to explore new worlds through hard work and research and take Pakistan to the heights of progress and development. He said credit went to Punjab government which has presented guard of honour to brilliant students and thereby honoured the future of the nation. He said brilliant students were encouraged through inviting them to Governor House Murree. He said he had never received guard of honour from police nor hoisted national flag on his car as he believed that he was ‘Khadim’ of the people and has been selected by the masses for their service. He said he would continue to serve the masses in education, health and other sectors. He said the students who had received laptops should also find a formula for getting rid of corruption as it was high time to change the corruption-infested Pakistan.
The CM further said Pakistan had become a hostage to darkness and its industrial sector was facing slow death. He said due to inadequate energy resources, Punjab was facing a loss of Rs 300 billion annually and was facing a loss of $ 1 billion in exports. He said due to non-availability of electricity no importer was willing to purchase items from the industrialists of Punjab. He said Pakistan spent a huge amount of Rs 10 billion annually on the import of oil but no attention had been paid to generation of energy from coal and other alternative resources. On the other hand, he said, hydle power plants of Nandipur and Chichokimallian which could have produced 900 megawatts energy had been lost at the altar of commission. He said a minister kept the files of these projects pending for one and a half years only because he was not paid commission and the Chinese contractors had abandoned the project and had left the country while its machinery was rusting away at Karachi port. He lamented the fact that corrupt elements were scoffing at the courts and boasted that no one could hold them accountable. He said Pakistani leaders had a nuclear missile in one hand and a begging bowl in the other and Aghyaar throw a few pennies disdainfully to them which were immersed in the blood of innocent people. He said Pakistan was facing serious problems and threats and its internal and external enemies were bent upon weakening the foundations of the country. The CM on this occasion also gave laptops from his own pocket to the top position holder in speech competition at middle level in Punjab, Mehral Fatima and a student Nadeem Abbas who presented a national song. A recipient of laptop Shamim Kanwal also addressed the function.
Earlier, Ahsan Iqbal while addressing the function said Punjab government was striving for promotion of education and setting of a modern society. Vice Chancellor Engineering University Muhammad Akram in his welcome address said that 6,585 students were being given laptops while 900 students will receive laptops in the next phase.