Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan is the country of 180 million people and there is a need for collective efforts for its progress and prosperity. It was the time to take guidance from Misaq-Madina and follow the principles of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal to achieve self-reliance and regain the lost status of the country.
He said it was not the Pakistan for which a heroic struggle was waged by Quaid-e-Azam as it has been defaced during the last 63 years and economic and social disparities were rampant. The economic and political independence in the real sense could be achieved only by turning down foreign aid.
He said it was high time that national resources were developed and the habit of begging from other was given up. "We will continue to struggle for national progress and prosperity and survival of the country till our last breath", he added.
Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif according to an information of DGPR received here Sunday was addressing a function to award prizes to the position-holders in speech and essay writing, sports and art and handcrafts competitions at provincial level at Chief Minister's Secretariat.
Senior Advisor Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Provincial Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman, Chairman Punjab Education Foundation Raja Muhammad Anwar, Vice Chairman Punjab Educational Endowment Fund, Dr Amjad Saqib, Members National and Provincial Assemblies, vice chancellors of various universities, intellectuals, writers, government officers and parents were present.
The Chief Minister said that the comprehensive picture of the situation in Pakistan drawn by the students was reflective of the fact that the young generation was fully aware of the state of the affairs and was keen to salvage the country out of the crises.
He said he was happy that the youth were infused with passion and enthusiasm hence the future of the Pakistan was bright. Young generation was the guarantee of a glorious future for the country and it held the key to progress and development.
He said that the way the youth had pointed out the problems of the country was a proof of the fact that they were deeply concerned over the existing situation and were fully aware of their responsibilities, which augured well for the nation. He said that talent was a gift of Allah and it had been proved by the better standard of the speeches delivered by students of Daanish Schools and the far-flung areas than that of the students of major cities and prestigious educational institutions.
He said that speech, essay writing, sports and art and craft competitions were being held in Punjab for the last three years to polish the talent of boy and girl students but due to recent flood the prize money for position-holders had been reduced. However, he said, the amount of cash prize will be increased to the previous level from the next year.
He said that out of the participants of essay writing, speech, sports and art and craft competitions Mr and Miss Punjab and Mr and Miss Pakistan would also be selected from the next year and the participants of the competitions would also be taken on a visit to Murree like the position-holders in academic activities.