A Harbinger for bright future of Pakistan
Youth population is the future of a nation. A well-educated, well-trained, well-mannered, disciplined and hardworking youth is the harbinger of a prosperous, progressive and bright future of a nation. It is the most precious asset of a nation which needs to be saved, protected, properly brought up, guided and efficiently utilized for changing the destiny of a nation.
A far-sighted leadership gives priority to youth development and strives to make optimum use of this capital by refining its talent and potential. Pakistan is lucky to have majority of population in the youth age group. It can rightfully hope for a healthy and bright future by appropriately channelizing this talent.
In Pakistan, successive governments have been taking measures for the educational and extra-curricular uplift of students but effective results of these steps could not be achieved due to inconsistency in policies.
The present Punjab government, under the dedicated leadership of Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, adopted a comprehensive strategy for promoting education and encouraging co-curricular activities among the youth. It embarked on taking concrete steps for implementing this strategy during the past five years. The impressive list of these steps included establishment of more than four thousand information technology laboratories all over the provinces, setting up of Danish Schools in the backward and far flung areas for the poor but talented students, provision of scholarships to more than fifty thousand deserving but shining students through Punjab Educational Endowment Fund, foreign visits of position holders from all over the country, prize distribution among talented students across the Pakistan and establishment of first IT university of the country etc.
Side by side with these revolutionary initiatives, various steps have also been taken for supporting healthy extra-curricular activities among the youth. These steps included setting up of hundreds of new play grounds, sports facilities and gymnasiums and availability of modern equipments at these places.
Holding of Punjab Youth Festival is an unprecedented land mark in the history of Pakistan which has become the introduction of Pakistan at International level. It is an effort to bring to limelight talented, extra-ordinary and outstanding players in various fields of activities. In fact it is an attempt to search the “Shaheen” of Allama Iqbal.
Participation of players in various events of this festival from across the border has brought closer the two neighbouring countries of India and Pakistan and tried to remove the misperception about Pakistan that foreign teams avoid visiting Pakistan due to the law and order situation.
The series of events in connection with the Youth Festival started at union council level and then the competitions moved on to tehsil, district and divisional levels. Presently youngsters are vying with one another at province level. During these events, the youth of Punjab has set several world records which have been registered in Guinness Book of World Records. This achievement has earned a good name for not only the Punjab province but also for the whole of Pakistan.
Punjab Youth Festival is the present of Khadim-e-Punjab Shahbaz Sharif who always takes lead in national integration either by giving Punjab’s share to other provinces in National Finance Commission Award or by patronizing the intelligent students from across the country.
Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif formally inaugurated the Punjab Youth Festival on 1st March 2014 and took part in the world record of waving national flag. The ambassadors of 14 different countries participated in the inaugural ceremony. Chief Minister Punjab congratulated the whole nation and said that Youth Festival is highlighting the soft image of Pakistan. He said that the presence of foreign ambassadors is a proof that Pakistanis has nothing to do with extremism rather they are tolerant and forbearing. The foreign ambassadors congratulated Chief Minister Punjab on organizing the magnificent ceremony of Youth Festival. They said that the move will help change the thinking of the whole world about Pakistan. It can rightfully be said that Punjab Youth Festival has become introduction of Punjab at international level.
On the very first day of youth festival, 9 records were made and 8 world records were added on the very next day. Rana Mashhood was chief guest of the ceremony whereas DG Sports was also present along with team of Guinness Book of World Records.
As a result of holding of this event for the second successive year, the trend of foreign investment is being encouraged. Punjab Youth Festival will help achieve soft image of Pakistan. The enthusiasmof youngsters show that the Pakistanis have the courage to touch the sky. Records set up during this festival will enhance the confidence of students in their future lives.
Needless to say that Punjab Youth Festival will be a launching pad for healthy activities of Pakistani youth. Other provinces are also planning to follow the footsteps of Punjab, which is a pleasant development.
