Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that education is the only way for overcoming poverty, ignorance and unemployment and putting the country on the road to progress and prosperity. He said the goal of ensuring a dignified status to the country in the comity of nations and achieving of self-sufficiency can also be achieved through promotion of education.
The chief minister expressed these views while addressing prize distribution ceremony for position-holder boy and girl students in annual examination of matriculation and intermediate 2015 at Aiwan-e-Iqbal on Friday.
He said that in view of the importance of education, Punjab government is making all out efforts for the promotion of education throughout the province. He said cash prizes of more than Rs 1 billion have been distributed among position-holder boy and girl students during the last eight years while 10,0000 talented and deserving students are being given scholarships from the income of Punjab Educational Endowment Fund. He said the number of these scholarships will be increased to 200,000 during the next one year.
Sharif said that an important element of educational programmes of the Punjab government is also that boy and girl students of Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, Balochistan, Sindh and Federal Board Islamabad have also been included which is resulting in promotion of national unity, brotherhood and provincial harmony. He said that unfortunately, the former rulers during the era of dictatorship indulged in massive corruption in Punjab and the hard-earned money of the poor nation was mercilessly looted. He said had national resources not been plundered in the past and the funds been spent on promotion of education, the nation would have been closer to its goal. He said the present government has promoted corruption-free culture in the province and no one can accuse it of misappropriating even a single penny. He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the principle of hard work, honesty and commitment will be adopted and an era of progress and prosperity will be ushered in the country.
He awarded prizes of Rs 185 million among the students. Provincial ministers Rana Mashhood, Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Malik Nadeem Kamran, Begum Zakia Shahnawaz, Dr Farrukh Javed, MPs, Vice Chairman Punjab Educational Endowment Fund Dr Amjad Saqib, Chairman Punjab Higher Education Commission, educationists, intellectuals, columnists, vice chancellors of universities, teachers and a large number of students were present.
A contingent of police presented guard of honour to the position-holders. Addressing the ceremony, the chief minister said that it is a historic day as position-holders from all over Pakistan have gathered at Aiwan-e-Iqbal. He said the Punjab government holds this function every year and it reflects national solidarity. He said this ceremony is a milestone in the promotion of national unity, brotherhood and interprovincial contact. He said at this splendid ceremony, talented boy and girl students of Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Federal Board and Punjab are paid tributes before the nation. He said that hundreds of talented students are pursuing their educational activities with the educational fund of Punjab government and they are becoming doctors, engineers, bankers, economists and serving the country. He said that through the programmes of Punjab Education Foundation, children of poor families are being imparted modern education.
Tributes: Position holders of Sindh, KPK, Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, Federal Board Islamabad and Punjab paid rich tributes to Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on taking revolutionary steps for the promotion of education.
They said that holding of an excellent ceremony in honour of position holders is a clear proof of the chief minister being education friendly. They said Sharif is taking splendid measures for the promotion of education and encouraging the male and female students which is unprecedented. They demanded that other provinces should also follow the revolutionary steps of the Punjab chief minister.
They thanked Sharif for holding function in their honour and encouraging them. A female position holder of Azad Kashmir Sana Asif said that Sharif by gathering position holders of all provinces at one place has realised them of being a united nation. Position holders of Sindh Muhammad Hasaan, Muhammad Qasim and Noor Fatima of Balochistan said that holding of function is a proof of this fact that Sharif takes keen interest in promotion of education and has taken excellent steps for a bright of the country, therefore, other provinces should also take such steps. Position holder of KP Shahia Babar said that gathering of male and female students of all provinces at Aiwan-e-Iqbal is a symbol of national unity. She said that we are thankful to Sharif for holding this function and encouraging them. She said that there is a need of a Shehbaz Sharif for polishing the talent of KP. Ehsan Ullah of Gilgit Baltistan said that Shehbaz Sharif has set a glorious example of national unity and brotherhood. No doubt, he said, Shehbaz Sharif is not Khadim-e-Ala of Punjab only but of the entire Pakistan and we salute him. Position holders of Daanish School Hasilpur Saeed Anwar said that Daanish School is his dream, his home and everything. He said that Shehbaz Sharif has set up Daanish Schools for the poor and orphan children. He said that Daanish School has made a resource-less child like him a position holder.