Sindh Governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan has said that concerted efforts to produce skilled and trained manpower equipped with sound character are imperative to brought the country on the road of plenty and prosperity.
He was addressing the faculty members, senior staff officers and cadets of the Petaro Cadet College on his first ever visit to the college here on Monday.
The Governor said that we have to respond to the exigencies of time and keep pace with the rapidly changing and developing world of today.
He stressed the need for producing educated and enlightened people and to excel in scientific and technical fields especially in Information Technology.
The Governor said that Cadet College Petaro can rightly be proud of the reputation, it has earned as one of the premier institutions of the country. He said, the true reflection of the standard of an academic institution is the caliber of the men it produces to serve the country.
He said this college has produced men of high caliber, who have achieved eminent positions in many diverse fields, such as the armed forces, civil services, police, engineering, medicines, business, politics and many other disciplines.
He expressed the hope that the college will continue to maintain high standards of moral, mental and physical excellence, which is the hallmark of this institution.
He complimented the principal, the staff and the cadets for their hard work, selfless devotion and sincerity of purpose.
Referring to the report of the principal, he said it was a singular achievement to won seven top positions in secondary and higher secondary examinations 2003 by the cadets of this college.
The Sindh Governor, however, sounded a word of caution by saying that to achieve success is a great achievement but it is more difficult to maintain it.
The Sindh Governor was pleased to note that the college has not only maintained its past achievements but has improved upon them every successive year.
He said it is important that the cadets should also be thoroughly familiarised with the teachings and principles of Islam so that they may learn to understand and appreciate Islamic values in their true perspective.
He said, only those institutions succeed in the long run where a healthy and peaceful atmosphere conducive to learning and developing young mind prevails and where equals importance is given to curricular and co-curricular activities and where healthy traditions and moral values are promoted.
Referring to the problems raised by the principal of the college in his speech, Sindh Governor said that he was duty bound to extend every possible help to get them resolved at the earliest.
He assured that it would be his earnest desire to increase and release the annual grant-in-aid.
He commended the idea of making the area scholastic village that will increase the literacy rate in the far-flung areas of the province.
The Governor announced 25 computers for the computer lab, Rs 500,000 for the college welfare fund and a cash award of Rs 15,000 each for the students who had secured first and second positions in the board examinations.
Earlier, on his arrival he planted a sapling in the college premises and visited English and software labs, IT department, library, laboratories and the conference room.
He asked the principal of the college to establish Quaid-e-Azam corner and collect books and material on the life and struggle of the founder of the nation.
He also unveiled the plaque of the under construction quarters for the low paid staff of the college.
Earlier, the principal of the college Commodore Muhammad Abid Saleem who himself is an old student of the college, in his address of welcome underlined the problems especially financial problems faced by the college.
He informed that during the year 2003, 23 cadets have joined Pakistan armed forces, which he said was the primary purpose of the college to feed the armed forces. Rear Admiral M. Asad Qureshi, Commander Karachi and Chairman Board of Governors of the college was also present on the occasion.