New generation to change destiny of nation: Shahbaz

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that the new generation is a precious asset and guarantee of bright future. He hoped that it would change the destiny of the nation and put it on the road to progress and prosperity through hard work and its abilities would transform the country in accordance with the ideals of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal in a real sense.
He said that all resources would be provided for equipping the new generation with modern knowledge. He said that revolutionary initiatives like setting up Daanish schools for the poor in backward areas, Punjab Educational Endowment Fund, IT Labs and holding of speech and essay writing competitions are unprecedented and maximum resources will also be spent for the bright future of the youth in future.
He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the first ever Literary Festival for Children in the history of the country at Children Library Complex, here on Friday. Wife of American Ambassador in Pakistan Dr Marilin Wyatt, Managing Director of Oxford University Press Amina Syed, Director Idara Taleem-o-Agahi Bela Jamil, Secretary Education and a large number of teachers and students were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the function, Shahbaz Sharif said that literary festival for the children has been held for the first time in the country's history and it will help promote the habit of study and book reading. He said that the institutions working for the protection of book, its development and promotion are, in fact, serving the society in real sense, which is praiseworthy.
He said that the participation of children in literary festival from Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and all over Punjab is a great example of national unity. He said that our young generation is talented which has the ability to restore the lost image of the motherland in international community and make it a greater country. He said that history is witness to this fact that those nations, which made hardworking, honesty and sincerity their motto, achieved high status. He hoped that Pakistani youth would also develop the country with the same spirit.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab government is implementing a comprehensive strategy for improvement of education sector, polishing the abilities of the male and female students and encouraging them. He said that more than 30 thousand talented students have been benefited from Punjab Educational Endowment Fund set up for the first time in the history of the country so far. He said that due to this revolutionary step, the dream of higher education of hardworking and talented students who could not continue their education due to financial constraints has materialised.
He said that modern facilities of education have been available to the elite and middle class during the last 64 years' history of the country but the marginal segment of the society remained deprived of these facilities. He said that a common and poor man has also equal right over the resources of the country and we launched the project of Daanish schools equipped with latest educational facilities in backward areas for this purpose.
He said that the merit of admission in these schools is only and only being a poor. He said that not only poverty and ignorance will be eliminated through setting up of Daanish schools in these areas but it will also enhance the dignity and respect of male and female students. He said that the world has become a global village and the development cannot be made without information technology. He said that Punjab government has taken an important step for the promotion of IT by setting up more than four thousand IT labs from Attock to Rahimyar Khan, which are yielding far reaching results.
He said that essay and speech competition have been organising for polishing the mental abilities of the students for the last three years under which prizes of Rs 20 crore are being given to those showing best performance every year. Addressing the function, wife of American Ambassador in Pakistan Dr Marilin Wyatt while appreciating the holding of literary festival said that such festivals will help promote literary activities among the youth.
She said that reading of books is of great importance, which creates awareness about modern knowledge and new inventions. She said that America is working jointly with Pakistani government for promoting reading habit among the children. Managing Director of Oxford University Press Amina Syed said that the efforts being made by the Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif for the improvement of education sector are commendable and his participation in literary festival is a clear proof of interest in education sector and love and affection with the children. She said that book is such a best friend due to which one cannot feel loneliness.