Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said on Thursday that it was responsibility of the government to provide facilities to universities’ students at par with the international standards.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of ‘strengthening of Main campus’ of the University of Education here, he said that he had visited different sections of the university and observed that all facilities required for research were available like the facilities provided to any top ranked universities of Europe.
He further said the government could only provide good infrastructure and it was a job of teachers and students to achieve desired results from the world-class available facilities.
In 2013 when the PML-N came into power, the country was facing a lot of challenges but during the tough situation dedicated efforts were made to turn around the country, he said and added that unfortunately the country’s development process was hindered in 2018.
He said all projects which were initiated by the PML-N for strengthening the country were scandalized and stopped. He lamented that during the last four years no short, medium or long term development plan was given.
He said that due to conducive environment in 2017 and 2018, the entire world was interested in making investments in Pakistan. He said that past government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf made agreement with the IMF and later violated it which created a lot of problems for the country.
He said, “There is a need to learn what difference between politics and country’s interest is.”
He said that if nation would be divided then country’s progress and prosperity was not possible.
Ahsan Iqbal said that with the grace of Allah Almighty, once again the world was reposing confidence in Pakistan.
He said that focus should be on developing brain power instead of muscle power as the future of any country was based on innovations made in classrooms and laboratories.
The US-Pakistan knowledge Corridor initiative was taken under which scholarships were given to 10,000 PhDs in top 100 American universities, he added.
He said the country’s future was linked with universities and they should not only focus on providing education but also on research, innovation, academia and industrial linkages, community service, technologically enabled, good corporate governance and product of these universities should be at par with international universities.
Ahsan Iqbal said that teachers not only play a key role in the development of educational system but also in country’s development.
He said the rate of tertiary education in Pakistan was 13 percent which was very low and needed to be improved.
The federal minister said, “The Holy Quran emphasized on education and research.”
He said there was a need to develop innovative, critical thinking renaissance besides self-accountability so that no one dare to commit blasphemy or desecration of the Holy Quran. University of Education Vice Chancellor Talat Nasser Pasha also spoke on the occasion.
Talking to the media, Ahsan Iqbal said that Muhammad Nawaz Sharif would soon return Pakistan and take part in next election process.
