SIALKOT (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday urged women to come forward and ramp up their vital roles in different fields of life and make contributions to the progress of the economy. Addressing a ceremony to distribute laptops under PM’s Youth Laptop Scheme 2023 at Government College Women University here, he said Rs 5 billion were allocated for projects related to the empowerment of women. “No nation can make progress if women are not made productive part of society.”
He said in the past his government had spent a substantial amount on the medical education of female students and the investment in women’s education would continue. He said next month his government would complete its tenure and a caretaker government would be formed.
If people would give chance to them in the next election, our government would bring revolution in the field of education and a large number of students would be given laptops, he remarked.
He said the laptops were given as recognition of the hard work and talent of the students. The laptops were distributed on the basis of merit in the past as well, he added
As Khadim e Aala Punjab, he said he always wanted to share the resources with other provinces as the progress and prosperity of the country depended upon shared development. He said 100,000 laptops had already been distributed while in the current year, another 100,000 laptops would be awarded.
The people should decide in the general elections after evaluating what had happened in the country in the last five years, he asserted.
He thanked Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for ensuring the allocation of funds for the import of laptops for students. He said students would be given more laptops and scholarships and laboratories and research institutes would be set up in educational institutions. Shehbaz Sharif said Muslims were left behind in different fields of education while the West moved ahead and it was time for reflection and action in the right direction. He called on students to work hard and show humbleness and Allah will help them in their efforts.
He said after the financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the government had a cushion and it decreased petrol prices on Saturday.
Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that the dynamic and active role of the prime minister during the past fifteen months was extraordinary. Chairman Higher Education Commission, Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, in his remarks, said that HEC had actively played its part in the distribution of about one million laptops among the students on merit.
He said the females’ enrollment in universities had increased by more than 48 per cent and the prime minister’s laptop scheme was the most encouraging initiative. Earlier, Punjab police personnel presented a guard of honour to the students and teachers as a token of respect.
Govt to resolve issues of exporters: PM: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday directed the formulation of a policy for the establishment of one-window facilitation centers for resolving issues of exporters. He was talking to a delegation comprising members of Parliament and office bearers of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) here.
The delegation paid tribute to the prime minister on the final approval of the agreement with the International Monetary Fund and the revival of the country’s economy.
The prime minister thanked members of the delegation for standing shoulder to shoulder during the hard decisions taken in the interest of the country. The PM was briefed about the issues faced by the chamber.
He directed the administration in Sialkot for the construction of highways and their maintenance and restoration. Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif, Advisor to Prime Minister Ahad Cheema, Special Assistants Jehanzeb Khan, Tariq Bajwa, Rana Shameem Ahmed Khan, former member National Assembly Nielson Azeem, former members provincial assembly Arshad Warraich, Rana Liaquat, Arif Iqbal, Rana Afzaal, Abdul Sattar, Chaudhry Ikram Mansha But, Mrs Shehzad Gulnar, Zeeshan Rafiq, President Pakistan Muslim League (N) Sialkot Muhammad Rafique Mughal, and former chairman Sialkok Airport Khawaja Maqsood Akhtar attended the meeting.
Office bearers of SCCI including its President Abdul Ghafoor, Senior Vice President Wahab Jehangir, Vice President Amir Majeed Shaikh, President Women Chamber Dr Maryam Nauman, Sohail Barlas and Sarfraz Bhatti were also present in the meeting.
