PM Abbasi says elections to be held on July 15

–Says quality education imperative for sustained economic progress, eradication of extremism

KOHAT: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that general elections will be held in the country on July 15 of next year.

Addressing a public meeting in Kohat Saturday, he claimed the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will win the elections on the basis of its performance.

Referring to the terrorist attack on Army Public School Peshawar in December 2014, PM Abbasi said that the security forces launched an operation against terrorists after this tragic incident, and restored peace in the country.

Lauding the role of the government in eradicating terror from the country, the premier claimed that the PML-N has delivered its promises and that terrorism has been completely eradicated from Pakistan.

Commenting on the government-proposed Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) reforms and its development initiative, he said the process of introducing reforms in FATA was initiated by the PML-N government and it will complete the same.

He also said that the FATA merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is a serious issue that has the support of the Senate, National Assembly, and the public.

PM Abbasi said that the federal government has released funds for various development projects in Kohat, including the supply of natural gas and construction of a stadium.

“Various development projects have been initiated in tribal areas to create job opportunities and promote education,” the premier remarked.

Speaking on the occasion, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said 95 per cent TDPs of FATA have returned to their homes.

Separately, speaking at an inauguration ceremony of women campus of Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST), the prime minister said the promotion of quality education was imperative for sustained economic progress and eradication of extremism, and responsibility rested on universities and colleges to prepare students for the upcoming challenges in that regard.

Former premier Nawaz Sharif had made the promise for establishing of a women campus of the KUST two years ago, said PM Abbasi, adding that the PML-N government had always fulfilled its promises.

The development, economic prosperity and elimination of extremism, he said, were directly linked to the provision of quality education to youth and despite education being a provincial subject now under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, the federal government was making concerted efforts to help the federating units for further improving the education sector.

PM Abbasi said for moving forward on the path of economic progress and prosperity, “We need to have a special focus on the promotion of women education in the country.”

The government, he said, had brought revolution in the education sector. It made record increase in the education budget during the last fours years, besides establishing a number of educational institutions, he added.

Earlier, the prime minister had inaugurated the dualisaton of Kohat-Sarai Gambila and Kohat-Pindi Gap roads, which will be completed at a cost of thirty-two billion rupees.