British High Commissioner Philip Barton said Britain attaches great importance to its relations with Pakistan and co-operation with Pakistan would continue in different sectors. He expressed these views during a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, here on Monday, disclosed an official. Matters of mutual interest, bilateral relations and promotion of co-operation in various sectors were discussed in the meeting.
The British High Commissioner also said Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had taken practical measures for the progress and prosperity of the people of the province, which is highly commendable. "Shahbaz Sharif is serving the people with commitment and determination," he added. Talking to the British High Commissioner, the Chief Minister said Pakistan highly valued its relations with Britain. He said there were strong friendly relations between the two countries. He appreciated British co-operation in education, health, skills development, law and order and other sectors.
Stressing the need for improving trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Britain, the CM said solid measures should be taken for that purpose. He said various programmes in education, health and skills development sectors were being successfully implemented in Punjab with the co-operation of British Department for International Development (DFID). He also said education was of vital importance for curbing the trends of extremism and terrorism; therefore, the Punjab government was paying special attention to the uplift of education sector and state-of-the-art Danish schools had been established in backward districts of the province. "Quality education is being imparted on modern lines to the students in Daanish schools. Job opportunities have been provided to youth through imparting them various skills under Skills Development Programme and the scope of this programme is being expanded. Thousands of youth have been enabled to stand on their own feet through skills development. Similarly, a programme is being successfully implemented in public health sector, especially mother and childcare with the co-operation of DFID. The Punjab government wants to expand the scope of co-operation with Britain for the development of social sectors," he added.
Referring to National Action Plan against terrorism, Shahbaz Sharif said all political parties of the country had displayed exemplary unity and agreed on National Action Plan against terrorism. He said steps taken under National Action Plan were yielding positive results.
According to him, the whole Pakistani nation has united to crush terrorists as terrorism is a big hurdle in the process of national development and prosperity. Terrorists displayed extreme brutality by killing innocent children in Peshawar and this tragic incident has been strongly condemned throughout the world. This incident of brutality is unprecedented in the recent history. Every Pakistani is grieved over the martyrdom of innocent children in Peshawar. More than 50,000 Pakistanis have sacrificed their lives in the war against terrorism and these include officers and Jawans of armed forces, police as well as common citizens. The supreme sacrifices rendered by Pakistani nation in the war against terrorism are unprecedented.
He said the war against terrorism was aimed at survival of the future generations and Pakistani nation would win the war at any cost. He said terrorism would be rooted out and Pakistan would be made a haven of peace in the real sense. He said terrorists would be eradicated from the country with the force of unity and those playing with the future of Pakistan would be brought to their logical end.
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