Punjab Government distributes 180 millions among the position holders

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that promotion of education is essential for changing the destiny of the nation and elimination of extremism and violence. He said that terrorism is the biggest hurdle in the way of progress and prosperity of the country.

Speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan, Provincial Ministers, Members National and Provincial Assembly, vice chancellors, parents, teachers, intellectuals, educationists, columnists and a large number of male and female students attended the function.

He said that bullets are effective against the menace of terrorism but tables of education, justice, health and employment opportunities are also of vital importance for resolving this issue. He said that education can help eradicate extremism, terrorism and militancy and transforming Pakistan in accordance with the vision of Quaid and Iqbal. He said that energy problem is a big challenge which will be overcome during next three years through hard work and commitment.

He said that promotion of education is also necessary for development of agriculture, industry, trade and other social sectors. He said that Pakistani youth are very talented and intelligent and imparting of modern education to the young generation can help in making Pakistan a modern Islamic welfare state. He said that education is the right of every child and Punjab government has taken historic measures for the development of education sector in the province. He said that students of Punjab as well as all units of the country have been included in education programme of provincial government, due to which, national solidarity is also being promoted.

He said that besides giving cash prizes of crore of rupees to position holder boy and girl students of the whole country every year, they are also being sent on study tour of prestigious educational institutions of Europe by Punjab government. He said that reforms in education system are necessary for achieving the desire results from the steps taken by the government for promotion of education.

He appealed to Vice Chancellors of universities, teachers, parents and all stakeholders to come forward and evolve such a system which could ensure a bright future to the country and a prominent status in the comity of nations. The Chief Minister also announced that from next year, besides visit to universities of Europe, position holder students will also be sent for Umrah.

He was addressing the cash prize distribution ceremony for position holder boy and girl students in matric and intermediate examination of 2014 at Aiwan-e-Iqbal today. 418 position holders of Punjab, Sindh, KPK, Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and federal boards were given 18 crore rupees while 370 teachers showing excellent performance were given cash prizes of 5.5 crore rupees as well as commendatory certificates.

Shahbaz Sharif expressed his pleasure to be present in the function held in the honour of position holder boy and girl students. Congratulating position holders, he said that they have won laurels for parents, teachers and the entire nation through their hard work. He said that the students have got position in such a system where it is impossible to use unfair means. He said that there is supremacy of merit.

Shahbaz Sharif said that Punjab government, people of the province and the entire nation salute the students on their excellent performance in examinations in such a system. He said that the Pakistan Muslim League-N government has set the tradition of presenting guard of honour to position holders. He said that no government can end this tradition as this is their right and they will continue to get it.

The Chief Minister said participation of position holder boy and girl students from all over Pakistan in this function reflects that the entire nation is united. He said that the process of encouragement of position holder students from all over the country had been started seven years ago and now it has become a permanent practice. He said that visits to prestigious educational institutions of Europe are arranged for position holder students which create confidence in them.

The Chief Minister appreciated the proposal of sending position holders to Umrah. He said that if position holders want, they will be sent to Umrah before their return to the country next year. He said that this is also the teaching of Holy Quran.

Referring to terrorism and extremism, Shahbaz Sharif said that terrorism is the major hindrance in the development and prosperity of the country and Pak Army is fighting against terrorists bravely. He said that children, elderly persons, women, Pak Army and officers and officials of security agencies are rendering sacrifices in the war against terrorism and more than 50 thousand Pakistanis have sacrificed their lives. He said that no nation made such a large number of sacrifices in the present history as rendered by Pakistani nation, which are unprecedented.

He said 68 years ago, a war was fought for the creation of Pakistan and numerous sacrifices were made whereas now after 68 years, a war for the survival of the country is being fought and great sacrifices are being rendered. He said that 68 years have lapsed since the creation of Pakistan but still innocent people are killed in the country. He lamented that the killer and the deceased both are Muslims.

The Chief Minister said we have to ponder over it that why we have failed to achieve the objectives and targets of creation of Pakistan. He said what kind of Pakistan we are going to give to our coming generations. He said that we have to take it seriously otherwise history will never forgive us. He said that who has given the right of taking decisions through Kalashnikov in the garb of religion. He said that we have to defeat terrorism jointly. He said that terrorism is a big challenge and we have to meet it.

Shahbaz Sharif said that history of the world is full of such examples when nations faced challenges with valor. He said that example of Turkey, Sri Lanka and Indonesia is before us which defeated terrorism. He reiterated that we will put the country on the road to progress and prosperity by riding it of problems through eliminating energy crisis and terrorism by hard work, continuous struggle, determination and courage.

The Chief Minister vowed that schools, universities and colleges will be brightened by eliminating darkness during next three years. Mentioning the steps taken for the promotion of education in Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif said that billions of rupees are being spent on the repair of dilapidated buildings of educational institutions and provision of educational facilities in educational institutions of the province. He said that laptops have been provided to the talented students on merit. He said that more than one lakh intelligent male and female students facing financial constraints will be getting education through biggest Punjab Educational Endowment Fund of the history of the country.

He said that the amount will reach 15.5 billion rupees in the account of this fund in July 2015. He said that teachers are our pride and the children are getting education due to their hard work. He said that educational system cannot be set right without consultation of teachers, parents and stakeholders. He said that concerned institutions have to play their role for harmonizing educational policy with the demands of present era.

The Chief Minister said that we have to hold dialogue jointly for the improvement of educational policy and system. He said that teachers should render such services for the improvement of educational system and making future of the country bright as should be remembered forever. He said that merit is the only way to development and prosperity of the country and we have promoted this culture in the province. He said that supremacy of merit was upheld by abolishing self-finance scheme in the universities and medical colleges and the deserving students were given their right. He said that merit system was introduced in Aitchison college.

Shahbaz Sharif said that all segments of the society will have to make joint efforts for the development of the country and transform it in accordance with the ideals of the founding fathers of Pakistan in the real sense. He said that still time has not passed and if we decide now, Pakistan can be put on the road to progress and prosperity. He said that the poems of Allama Iqbal have been included in the syllabus and more poems of Iqbal will be included.

Provincial Minister for Education, Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan while addressing the function said that people of Punjab are fortunate that they have a knowledge friendly and visionary leader like Shahbaz Sharif. He said that Chief Minister Punjab had eliminated booti mafia in 1997, set up the biggest educational fund in the history of the country for the provision of quality education to the talented children of low-income families and distributed laptops among the youth on merit basis.

He said that the poems of Allama Iqbal were removed from the syllabus during dictatorial era but the present government has again included seven poems of Iqbal in the syllabus and work is being carried out for including more poems. He said that prizes of crores of rupees have been distributed among position holder students of the whole country. He said that top position holder students have been given four lakh rupees each, second position holders three lakh rupees each while a cash prize of two lakh rupees has been given to each student obtaining third position.

Prominent Anchor Sohail Ahmad Azizi while speaking on the occasion said that he loves Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif as he appreciates hard working people. He said that Shahbaz Sharif has taken an important step for the encouragement of position holders. He said that Shahbaz Sharif’s performance is appreciated by everyone and may Allah Almighty give more leaders like Shahbaz Sharif to the nation.

The Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, provincial ministers, Members national and provincial assembly and vice chancellors gave prizes to position holder boy and girl students.