Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan on Sunday said Pakistan was passing through a defining time in its history where the people would have to determine their future through parliament which was the sole arbitrator of peoples’ power. “Pakistani students in the UK need to carry back the lessons of freedom, interfaith tolerance and peaceful co-existence that they learn from British society to help Pakistan return to the higher ideals of the Founder Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.” he said.
Wajid was addressing the third Pakistan Young Leaders’ Conference (PYLC) at the House of Lords organised by the National Union of Pakistani Students and Alumni (NUPSA) in collaboration with the Pakistan High Commission London and Goodenough College London. He advised the students to follow modern role models like Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Amir Khan, Sir Anwer Pervez and Lord Nazir Ahmed to achieve their goals. He described the Pak-UK relations as extremely purposeful and encompassing. He added that education was an important element of bilateral cooperation where the UK had allocated £650 million for primary education in Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, MNA Kashmala Tariq encouraged the students to strive harder in order to excel in their professional careers thereby contributing to the socio-economic progress of the country. She cited brain drain and lack of contribution by educated youth as one of the major reasons for slow progress in Pakistan. Lord Nazir Ahmed stressed on the importance of rule of law as well as its universal application. He stated that the Pakistani government could learn from the good governance practices of the UK government. He advised the students to stay united and form a youth corps for the social development of Pakistani society.
Najam Sethi, renowned political analyst, urged the students to make a difference by utilising their tremendous talent. According to him, in international realm there were no friends or enemies but just national interests. Appreciating the desire of the young leaders to bring about change, he cautioned that it was important to define change before it can be brought.
Former senator Khalid Ranjha identified feudalism, appeasement, and division within the political parties on rural and urban basis as major problems which the society in Pakistan must address if it was to develop and progress.
