Moalims

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Sunday education was the key to progress.

“The government is spending billions of rupees on the promotion of education. This will help end terrorism, extremism, poverty and unemployment in the country,” the chief minister told a meeting that reviewed progress on the Knowledge Park being set up in Lahore.

Sharif said the project to be set up on a vast area would be the first of its kind in the country. He said campuses of renowned educational institutions would be set up in Knowledge Park. Many research facilities would be available under one roof there, he said.

The chief minister said apart from local student the Knowledge Park would cater to the need of students from other countries. He said residential and recreational facilities for teachers and students would be available at the park. “Promotion of research, particularly in science and technology, is the need of the hour. The Knowledge Park will play an effective role in this regard,” he said.

Sharif stressed on the need to complete the project early so that desired goals in the education sector could be achieved. He ordered that a committee be formed and tasked with preparing a report on the progress on the project. He said Daanish Schools were providing quality education to the children in less-developed areas. “The standard of education at these schools is better than many renowned institutions,” he said.

Provincial Ministers Rana Mashhood Ahmed and Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, the Planning and Development Board chairman, secretaries of Finance and Higher Education Departments and the Punjab Information Technology Board chairman attended the meeting.

Saad calls on Sharif

Sharif said the government had been working on an effective plan to end terrorism, poverty and energy shortages. He said this during a meeting with Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafique who called on him.

The chief minister said work on several energy projects was underway. “Many of these projects will start generating electricity by the end of 2017,” he said. He said the government was working in collaboration with China to rid the nation of electricity woes.

Sharif said that in addition to domestic consumers the industry would benefit from power projects. He said the National Action Plan against terrorism was yielding good results. He assured that the government would continue to implement the plan.

The chief minister told the minister that a strategy had been devised to promote e economic activities in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2015.