Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said here on Tuesday that Pakistan is fully committed to promoting peace and stability in the region, and the world at large, and vowed that it does not harbour aggressive designs against any country.
Addressing the Annual Convocation of Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (Pieas) here at Nilore, he said, "We do not harbour aggressive designs against any country, nor do we wish to engage in an arms race."
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan firmly believes that a strong defence is indispensable to the country's territorial integrity, stability and progress. He said, "Our defence doctrine is based on minimum credible deterrence, and we favour a regional strategic restraint regime in strategic and conventional weapons."
The Prime Minister said, "We are proud of our armed forces who have always stood by the nation in the hour of trial, and exhibited exemplary courage and capability in performing their duties." He said that the government is committed to strengthen and reorganise the defence forces along modern times.
Referring to the latest development in the defence of the country, he said it is indeed gratifying that Pakistan has come a long way in harnessing its indigenous defence capability. He said, Augusta submarine, JF-7 Thunder aircraft, and the Missile and Space Programme bear testimony to the diligence and testimony of scientists, engineers, technicians and, above all, the armed forces of the country.
The Prime Minister said that there is need to strengthen national security and domestic economy in order to safeguard national interests and to promote the welfare of citizens. He said that political stability, rule of law, effective governance, economic progress and technological capability are must for achieving fundamental objectives including credible security.
Shaukat said that Pakistan is rich in natural resources and its location can make it a regional hub of trade, industry and services. He said, "We should all work together to ensure that Pakistan emerges as a strong, developed and vibrant country on the world map, and Pakistanis can hold their head high in the comity of nations."
The Prime Minister said that economic integration, technological developments and the march of democracy have created a new world order. He said the government has the vision to develop Pakistan as a modern developed Islamic welfare state through sustainable democracy and knowledge-based economy.
He said that Pakistan has a bright future and, as the upcoming leaders and architects of Pakistan, the fresh graduates should help build a positive image of Pakistan as a strong, dynamic and progressive country.
He advised them to inculcate virtues of diligence, honesty, truthfulness and humility, and follow in the footsteps of their predecessors whose diligence and commitment to the national cause made Pakistan a nuclear power.
The Prime Minister appreciated the efforts being made by Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission in peaceful uses of nuclear technology, particularly in the energy, agriculture, biotechnology and health sectors.
He expressed hope that PAEC would continue to benefit from the opportunities for transfer of technology available in the globalised world of today and pursue the goal of increasing indigenisation of technology and self-reliance.
Referring to PAEC's achievement in peaceful nuclear energy, he expressed hope that the country would achieve the target of producing 8,800 mw electricity through nuclear technology in the next 25 years. Highlighting the importance of education, the Prime Minister said that an illiterate nation cannot make any progress in the present-day world, and added that there is a close link between education and economic development.
He said that the education system must gravitate towards science and technology, as it is a critical requirement of economic progress and national security in the modern world. The Prime Minister said that seven years ago, when President General Pervez Musharraf assumed responsibility, Pakistan was in dire straits. He said the government implemented an all-encompassing reform agenda covering all aspects of national life--political, administrative, social and economic--and these efforts have led to national renewal.
During the last seven years, he said, the government has made record investment in development, and there has been four-fold increase in the development budget since 1999 and, as percent of GDP, it has increased from 2.6 percent in 2000 to 4.3 percent for the current year.
Referring to various steps taken by the government in the field of education, the Prime Minister said that 'Education for All', education sector reforms, and free education up to Matriculation, with the aim of improving the access to and quality of education and overcoming gender, rural-urban and regional imbalances.
He said the government has also given highest priority to technical and vocational education, which is being co-ordinated by National Vocational and Technical Education Commission (NAVTEC).
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan, though a late starter in the field of higher education, has made significant strides in the last seven years. The existing universities are being strengthened by providing qualified faculty, investing in research and development, and forging linkages with industry, he added.
He said that the government has also embarked upon an ambitious plan of establishing nine world-class universities in collaboration with highly advanced countries, such as Germany, Sweden, France, Austria, Japan, South Korea, and Italy. Referring to the potential in youth, he that said youth are the country's future, as they are the future leaders and architects of Pakistan.
He said the government has recently launched National Internship Programme to harness the potential of unemployed educated youth where educated unemployed youth are being given internship with salary of Rs 10,000 per month for one year.
He also referred to President's 'Rozgar' scheme for harnessing entrepreneurial potential of unemployed youth through provision of easy credit for undertaking small and sustainable business initiatives. The Prime Minister said that under this programme, 1.84 million small loans on confessional terms have been provided for Mobile Utility Stores, PCOs and Motorcycle Rickshaws and other small business.
He congratulated all graduates who obtained their degrees in the Convocation and gave special appreciation to those who won gold medals and merit certificates for their outstanding performance. The Prime Minister said he was pleased to know that the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences has been ranked as the best engineering university of the country by the Higher Education Commission.
PAKISTAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (PAEC) Chairman Anwar Ali said that the Commission owed its success to its excellent human resource, most of whom have received education and training from Pakistani universities. The graduates of Pieas are the backbone of PAEC, he added.
He said that PAEC is engaged in multi-disciplinary programmes, and has play a pivotal role in making Pakistan a nuclear power. He said PAEC has not lagged behind in the socio-economic sector, and its medical centres provide state-of-the-art nuclear techniques for diagnostics and treatment of cancer. He said during the last year, more than 350,000 patients visited PAEC centres.
He said the agricultural and biotechnology centres are engaged in developing new varieties of crops and agricultural products for the farmers. The Rector of the Pieas, Dr Mohammed Aslam, highlighted the achievements of the Institute.
The Prime Minister later distributed medals and certificates among the students achieving distinctions in various departments. In all, eight Ph D, 50 B Sc, and 271 M Sc degrees were awarded in the Convocation, which was also attended by leading scientists.
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