Things start improving after effective implementation of NAP: minister

Minister of State for Education and Professional Training, Engr. Baligh-ur-Rehman on Wednesday said things have started improving after effective implementation of Zarb-e-Azb and National Action Plan (NAP). He was talking to the Ambassador of United Arab Emirates (UAE), Essa Abdulla Al Basha Al Noaimi and his delegation which called on him here.
The agenda of the meeting was to enhance cooperation between the two countries including special cooperation regarding Sheikh Zayed Islamic Centers in Pakistan. The Ambassador said that the relationship between UAE and Pakistan has always been very co-operative since Sheikh Zayed's time period. Pakistan is an important country and we would like to benefit from the vision of the present government regarding fighting terrorism and extremism in Pakistan in particular and in Muslim Ummah in general.
He further added that we would like to enhance cooperation in consolidating the image of Islam; it's high time that Muslim Ummah should get united against the extremist elements and should present the real version of Islamic ideology in front of the world.
Minister of State welcomed the delegation and appreciated the Ambassador and his delegation came for. He said that situation of our country was grave in terms of terrorism in 2013, but after the effective implementation of Zarb-e-Azb and National Action Plan (NAP), envisioned by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, things started improving. He said that acts of terrorism minimised, foreign investment came back to Pakistan, tax to GDP ratio improved, confidence and trust of international community in Pakistan returned, all because of our resolve against terrorism. He further added that we would like to collaborate with UAE in promoting the true image of Islam. Talking about the Sheikh Zayed Islamic Centers in Pakistan (Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar), Minister of State said that government has increased the grants of these centers to more than Rs 1 million per year in 2015 (Rs 39.214 million for Lahore center, Rs 32.910 million for Peshawar center, and Rs 34.374 million for Karachi center). But we still think that more funding is required for these centers to start new programs. These centers are rolling out great ideas like Shairah Compliance and Islamic Banking etc, stated the minister.
Moreover he said that we are revisiting our National Education Policy and Minimum National Curriculum to make such institutes more productive.
Furthermore he said that we could make these centers align with NAP and give them research grants to find solutions to fight terrorism through Islamic teachings. He also said that Prime Minister of Pakistan has already constituted a committee on the restructuring of these centers in order to make them more effective. Essa Al Noaimi said that we would like to revive the 1985 agreement between Pakistan and UAE regarding these centers, joint cooperation should be promoted in order to fight extremism. We should hold regular meetings to discuss strategies and also monitor and evaluate the progress of the plan.
Meeting was attended by Federal Secretary Haseeb Athar, Mohammad Obaid Al Mazroui ED General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment UAE, Saif Almazrooei Auqaf UAE, Ali Suwaidi UAE, Ali Alkeibi UAE and other officials of the ministry.-PR