ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal Thursday said the government succeeded in defeating loadshedding and 10,000 megawatt of electricity was added to the national grid in four years.

He was speaking at the closing ceremony of HEC-Huawei ICT Skill Competition 2017 organized here by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Huawei Technologies.

As many as 7,000 students from across Pakistan participated in the competition and after going through different stages, ultimately six students were selected, which will represent Pakistan in different competitions in China.

The minister said, “We are entering the 4th industrial revolution. If a country will not be strong in the field of science, it will not be able to travel on the road to progress.”

He said Vision 2025 was prepared to create a modern economy and according to that vision, Pakistan would be among the 25 largest economies of the world.

He said the secret of progress of China was peace and stability, adding today's era was of digital technology.

Pakistan would get its identity through those youth which had the capacities in the field of science and technology, he added.

The minister said the world was making progress by inventing new products and moving ahead in the field of technology.

He said it was responsibility of the youth to play their role in the progress and security of the country.

He said the announcement by the United States to support the Israeli government in Baitul Maqdis and establishment of embassy in the city was condemnable.

He said the reason of the downfall of Muslims was neglect of education in the fields of science and technology.

He expressed hope that the youth, selected for China, would bring good name for Pakistan.

He said that Pakistan was creating a knowledge gateway with Britain so that youth could get education in the leading British universities.

The interior minister also distributed prizes among the successful students.